Tale of Two Ravens
by Silas Solarius
Summary: Kami believes that the Uchiha Brothers deserve another chance. Due to this, she sends them back in time to before the Massacre with all of their powers and a few extras. Can they overcome the horrors of their past and save their clan or are they doomed to suffer all again? KISAITA SASUNARU
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** **Kami believes that the Uchiha Brothers deserve another chance. Due to this, she sends them back in time to before the Massacre with all of their powers and a few extras. Can they overcome the horrors of their past and save their clan or are they doomed to suffer all again?**

 **Pairings:** **KisaIta, SasuNaru**

 **Tags:** **Canon Typical violence; Slight PTSD; Past torture; Canon Divergence; References to Suicide; Suicidal Thoughts/Suicide Attempt; Language; Mentions of Mpreg and Implied infant death; SLASH YAOI**

* * *

 **Chapter One**

"These are Itachi's memories…"

Sasuke thought watching as his brother shook with silent sobs behind their parents He listened as his father told Itachi how proud he was despite it all and his heart sunk in his chest.

How could he have believed his brother to be such a horrible person all those years ago? His kind, gentle older brother.

How could he fall for the lies the older man had spoon fed him, especially with how well he knew his aniki.

" _ **He didn't deserve this."**_ Whispered a soft voice and he nodded absently in agreement.

Itachi didn't deserve this kind of suffering.

" _ **What would you do if I gave you a chance to change it? To save your clan and your brother from their fate."**_

He looked around, bewildered and found young girl standing behind him. Long snow colored hair fell in soft waves down her back and framed her chubby heart-shaped face. Her eyes were wide and innocent; the same cyan blue he saw behind his eyelids every time he allowed his thoughts to drift into forbidden territory. In her hands she held a small mirror. She continued speaking when he didn't respond.

" _ **Uchiha Itachi has always been my favorite of your clan. He lacks the arrogance many of them, yourself included, wear like a shroud, but surpasses you in skill. He was never meant to live and die the way he had."**_ She glanced up at him.

" _ **Did you know you killed your nephew when you killed your brother?"**_

Sasuke froze, onyx eyes wide with confusion.

"W-What?"

" _ **Your brother was with child when he died. Neither he nor his partner were aware of this fact and attributed many of his symptoms to his sickness. Had he lived, Itachi would've given birth to a child named Hoshigaki Sasuke."**_

Sasuke swallowed thickly, absently noting that his brother's memories had finally come to an end and he was back in the cavern with the other. Itachi stumbled forward, apologies falling from his lips along with regrets.

It made Sasuke feel even worse.

"Stop, aniki." He whispered brokenly and Itachi stilled staring at him wide eyed. "Please, stop."

Something shattered in the older Uchiha's eyes and he looked down.

"Right," Itachi replied, faltering a step. "I suppose it is too late for apologies."

A sad smile crossed his bloodless lips. "However, know this. No matter what you do from here on out, I will always love you."

Sasuke's heart broke and he fought not to scream as the reanimation of his brother fell apart leaving nothing but the strange girl behind.

" _ **You can save them. Your clan and your brother, you can save them both."**_ She repeated.

"How?"

She smiled kindly. _**"One moment,"**_ She waved her hand and Itachi reappeared, however it was the Itachi from before the reanimation. He was even wearing his Akatsuki robes and ring.

He looked as bewildered as Sasuke felt.

"W-What is this?" He asked, pain in his eyes.

Sasuke looked down. He hated hearing that longing for death in his brother's voice.

" _ **Uchiha Itachi. It is an honor to finally meet you in person. I have watched your suffering for a very long time, since your very first step onto the battlefield just after your third birthday."**_

Itachi frowned, then gasped and stepped back, eyes widening. "K-Kami-sama." He greeted, bowing.

"I'm honored you are escorting me to hell personally."

Kami frowned. _**"You are not here for judgement, Dear One, quite the opposite. I have a proposition for you, both of you."**_

Sasuke blinked. "A proposition?"

" _ **The Uchiha can be saved. I will send the two of you back in time to six months before the massacre. In addition, I will give both of you three separate gifts to help you in your endeavor."**_

"I accept." Sasuke replied, determined.

Itachi bit his lip and glanced over at his little brother. He really, really just wanted to rest. He was so tired of living. He just wanted to be with Kisame again…but Sasuke wouldn't be able to this alone.

He would do it, after all he owed his brother that much.

"I accept as well, Kami-sama."

The goddess gave him a sad, knowing smile.

" _ **You will keep your current skills; however, you will need to train them to work in your new bodies. Your gifts will unlock upon the merging of your past and present souls, however these will also need to be trained for them to be used at their full potential."**_

The brothers nodded in understanding and Kami smiled. _**"One last thing,"**_ she paused. _**"There will be four others travelling back with you, although they will not have the gifts I have given you. They will help you both in your endeavor."**_

They nodded again and her smiled softened. _**"Good luck."**_

Before either raven could reply they were engulfed in a blinding white light and thrown into oblivion.

* * *

Sasuke awakened to the sound of a familiar pain-filled scream.

Itachi.

Paying his own pained limbs, he jumped out of bed and raced down the hall to his older brother's room, his heart cringing when he found himself staring down at a smaller thirteen-year-old version of his brother. The older raven was writhing on his bed, blood trailing from his thin lips and closed eyes lids as he convulsed.

"Aniki," he whispered pained, crawling into his brother's bed. Hazy onyx eyes fluttered open, their owner's screams dying down into pained whimpers.

"O-otouto," Itachi took a shaky breath, his body relaxing. "Are you alright?"

The younger Uchiha glared at him, incredulous but didn't have time to speak before the door to the room flew open and a frantic voice sounded behind them.

"Itachi! Are you okay?"

Both ravens froze at the sound, at that voice. Soft, full of motherly concern…It had been so long since they'd heard that voice.

Sasuke felt his brother tense, could practically feel the guilt and pain eating at the other and his own heart felt as if it would shatter if someone didn't speak soon.

"I-I'm f-fine, Kaa-san." Itachi finally rasped turning away from them both, his long hair shielding his face.

"Itachi-" Their mother responded reaching for him, but he jerked away.

"Please leave. I wish to be alone."

"Aniki-" Sasuke protested but Itachi only ignored him, yet he could see the slight tremors running through his slim frame.

"Please leave." He repeated.

Their mother sighed and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Come, Sasuke. You need to get ready to leave for the academy."

He stood, biting back a gasp of pain as the pain in his limbs finally made itself known. Looking up at his mother he smiled, wishing he could tell her the reason for Itachi's distance if only to spare his aniki the pain of seeing the worry on her face. Instead, he followed her from the room with a single glance back at the silent figure on the bed, and vowed that this time Itachi wouldn't suffer even if he had to beat some sense into their clansmen's heads.

 **TBC…**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Alright before I go on to this chapter I would like to address the dumbasses that have the gall to review and call me a "delusional fag", you stupid motherfuckers are the idiots that can't read the fucking warnings that say SLASH.** **SLASH** _ **YAOI**_ **GAY** **motherfucking** **GAY** **! If the pairing didn't warn you then Is it clear now? Because I'm usually a very patient woman but there is only so much ignorance a person can take.**

 **So politely do me a favor and fuck off if YAOI isn't your thing instead of leaving me fucked up reviews and comments like 'Kill Yourself, delusional fag.' Honestly.**

 **Sorry for anyone that had to suffer through that little rant of mine. The next chapter is up for your appraisal.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

He was alive.

Small yellow eyes glanced around their owner, bewildered taking in the familiar yet unfamiliar surroundings.

This was his room at the Akatsuki base, however it was emptier than it had been in nearly a decade. All of his things were there…but Itachi's weren't.

What kind of genjutsu was this?

He had _died._

He remembered this, remembered finally embracing his lover who had died only months before him. He remembered the beautiful raven being dragged from his grasp not once but twice, then there was nothing.

So where the hell was Itachi?

And who had dragged him from the peace he so rightfully deserved? From Kisame?

" _ **Calm yourself, Hoshigaki Kisame, your Raven is fine."**_ Came a soft voice.

He stiffened and looked around. There was no one there.

" _ **I am everywhere, child. Only my favored my gaze upon my form, your mate is one of these people. Now I wish for you to listen closely. I have sent Itachi, his brother, Your leader, the young Kyuubi Jincuuriki, and yourself into the past in hopes that you all will be able to change the horrors that would've come from Itachi's second death. This also a way to grant your mate a second chance at life without being forced to live as he had the first time. His life was never supposed to go as it had and yet due to the manipulations of others it went opposite of the path I set for him."**_

The speaker paused allowing him to absorb this information thoroughly. After a moment Kisame nodded.

"We've been sent to a time before the Massacre." He stated and he got the impression that the voice was nodding.

" _ **Yes, unfortunately given the scars on both their minds and their souls neither of the Uchiha brothers will fit on the path I created for them. It is up to them to create their own now with the help of those they love."**_

The voice hesitated.

" _ **He needs you, Kisame. More than he needs anyone, even his brother. Protect him."**_

Kisame scowled at the voice, offended and chose not to dignify the statement with a response.

"What do I call you?"

" _ **I believe your kind call me Kami."**_

* * *

Uchiha Fugaku couldn't help but frown as he sat down at the breakfast table with his family to find his oldest son missing and his wife and youngest son both sending furtive glances in the direction of the prodigy's bedroom.

Itachi was normally an early riser, normally awake and dressed before everyone, even Mikoto, who rose right after him to cook breakfast. That he had yet to appear for breakfast was troubling.

He turned his stern dark gaze on his youngest son who, feeling his gaze, turned and looked up at him. Something dark flashed in that gaze before the boy looked back down at the table.

"Where is your brother?"

"Resting." The answer was abrupt and cold, and borderline rude and he scowled, opening his mouth to berate him. Sasuke had never spoken to him that way and even Mikoto looked shocked.

"That was very rude, otouto. Apologize."

Sasuke's head shot up and he frowned petulantly, while Fugaku forced himself not to jump at his eldest son's sudden appearance.

"Aniki-"

Itachi stared at him, a stern expression on his features. "Now, Sasuke."

The little raven scowled and looked up at his father. "Sorry, tou-san."

The Uchiha patriarch stared at him, then at his oldest, before nodding silently.

"Don't let it happen again."

Sasuke ignored him and looked up at his older brother worriedly, his entire attitude doing a 180.

"Are you okay now, nii-san?"

"Hai."

He was lying. His skin was paler than it should be, his eyes shrouded in shadows that made the clan head feel a pang of guilt deep in his chest.

He had done this to his son.

He had put those shadows in the eyes that had lost their innocence. All for the good of The Clan, His people.

Sometimes…sometimes he hated being the head of The Uchiha Clan.

* * *

It was strange.

For almost a decade, he'd been afraid to step foot inside this village, his heart aching at the thought of his baby brother's hateful onyx eyes and being cut down by those he still considered his comrades. It had been agony for him when Pein had forced him and Kisame to retrieve the Kyuubi jinchuuriki from inside the village and only Kisame knew of the depression he'd faced shortly after. Now however, he could walk them freely, revered among the masses as the prodigal child of the Uchiha. It should've comforted him some but all it did was unnerve him.

He bit back a soft sigh, glad for once that he had been given a day off to recuperate from whatever mission his younger self had taken the day before. He didn't think he could face his Kage at this moment, not with the turbulent emotions racing through him. Failure and guilt for breaking Sasuke and sending him into the dark cycle of hatred he'd wanted to break, warred with the grief at being dragged from the rest he'd begged for even if he knew he didn't deserve it, and it made his head spin and not for the first time since landing in this nightmare, wished for Kisame.

He curled up tighter in the tree he was hidden in, lean arms wrapping around himself in a lacking mockery of the stronger ones he was used to, and a broken sob left his lips unbidden.

The leaves at the base of the tree rustled, alerting him to the fact that he was no longer alone and he stiffened, knowing without looking who it was.

Of all the trees in the trees in the Uchiha compound the one he was in was his favorite and only two people knew this. He loved how it was the tallest in the compound, easily able to hide him when he had no wish to be found. Sasuke wouldn't disturb him yet, still trying to cope with their new mission, and that only left _him._

"Somehow I knew I'd find you here."

Shisui.

He didn't respond, voice lost in his throat before it could reach his lips and his previous sobs burning his chest. Biting down harshly on his lip, he spared his former best friend one last glance and fled, leaving a worried and slightly scared Shisui in his wake.

* * *

Shisui stared after his best frown with a rare frown on his lips, questioning on whether he should go after the younger teen or not.

He'd never, in all the years he know Itachi, seen the younger man as upset as he was now and he didn't know if the other teen wanted his company or not, especially with what he had seen in that single glance he'd been spared.

What could cause Itachi such grief?

Sighing, the jounin turned and headed back towards the compound, vowing to interrogate the other boy when he saw him next.

After all if it could upset Itachi the way it had it must be bad.

* * *

 _ **Amegakure, Akatsuki Headquaters**_

Ringed purple eyes gazed out over their village, their owner listening absently to the man beside them.

"If all goes well we should be getting a new member soon."

The calm gaze slid over to their companion, a masked man with a voice deeper that the rolling thunder of the storm before them.

"Oh?" He inquired placidly.

"An Uchiha. If all goes well we shall have him before the year's end."

The purple eyed man nodded, before a knock sounded at the door and the masked man vanished.

Fighting a sigh, He turned and gestured for the other occupant of the room, a pale blue-haired woman, to open the door. She did as bid, frowning slightly at the newcomer.

"Kisame," The man, Pein greeted. "Please enter. I believe we have much to discuss."

The shark-like man nodded, his expression graver than they'd ever seen on his face.

"Yeah. I want to go find Itachi."

 **TBC…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"Yeah. I want to go find Itachi."

Konan frowned at the shark-like man. Kisame had been in the Akatsuki since its creation and often kept things to himself. He operated as if his only emotions were dark, bloodstained amusement and hapless rage with no middle ground and sometimes she wasn't sure if it was an act. This said, she had never seen his eyes soften the way they had when he spoke this 'Itachi's' name. Catching her gaze, the swordsman's own narrowed and he sent Pein a sharp look.

Her husband sent the man one of his own. "Is it safe to speak?"

Kisame sneered at him. "Of course. I'd never put Itachi in danger. Not with that bastard up and moving."

Pein inclined his head and hummed softly. "How likely is it that Itachi will join us of his own accord?"

Konan blinked. Itachi was a man? Kisame's son perhaps?

The shark gave a weary sound; unlike any he'd ever heard. "Madara is alive," Konan sent her husband a startled glance, wondering when he'd informed Kisame and why he hadn't told her. "He will join because it will keep Sasuke and their clan safe and alive this time."

Pein let out a low curse. "Of course he will."

Konan frowned. "Who is Itachi?"

"He is one of the most brilliant and ruthless shinobi in the world, but not by choice. Madara is trying to recruit him and if Itachi continues to refuse him, he will force him to do something drastic."

"Why are you both so against him joining us? We could greatly benefit if he is as skilled as he sounds."

Kisame bared his teeth at her then gave a forced smile. "He is a pacifist."

She frowned, wondering if he was joking, and looked at her husband who nodded.

"He is the recruit that Madara spoke of. Thirteen and an Anbu captain of Konohagakure. He has been a pacifist since he was three years old however he became a shinobi to protect his younger brother from the pressures of becoming the head of their clan."

She smiled slightly at the thought of such a person but doubted it was true. She didn't know how this child had fooled even her God but she knew he wasn't all they made him out to be. If he harmed Pein or the organization, she would end him.

"I want to find him." Kisame uttered, bringing them back to his original statement.

Pein sighed. "Kisame, Madara is already watching him. If I send you he will become suspicious of me and then where will we be? We _need_ him complacent."

"I don't care!" Kisame snarled, eyes blazing. "I refuse to leave my mate in a village full of the ghosts that haunt his dreams. You may be a god but I _can_ and _will_ end you if you keep me from him."

Her husband glared at the shark, but there was something sad in his gaze. "We are supposed to be trying to make this life _better_ , Kisame. If you do as you say you will, it will only bring about the worse sooner. Write him and inform him of my thoughts, warn him of Madara, and ask him to meet with me as soon as possible."

The swordsman nodded slowly, gritting his teeth in obvious reluctance, then stood, bowed stiffly, and turned to leave.

"Kisame," Pein called and the shark-like man stilled.

"Hai?"

"I plan to pose a treaty to the Sandaime Hokage. See if you can get Itachi on his protection detail."

There was no change in the man when he left the room but Konan smiled, knowing he was grateful for the offer.

* * *

Sasuke was nervous.

He'd been hiding in the trees outside of the academy for most of the day, terrified of entering the building and seeing _his_ face again. Even if his kitsune didn't remember him, he knew it would only take a glance from those perfect aquamarine hues to break him and he didn't want to face that. Unfortunately, however, Iruka sensei had come looking for him after he hadn't come in and had forced him from the tree which led to his current predicament.

Behind him, Iruka frowned at the uncharacteristically shy boy.

Sasuke had always been one of his more outgoing students and he had a smile that could light up the entire room, whenever it was shown. He'd never seen the young boy as nervous to enter his classroom as he was at that moment.

"Sasuke-kun, are you alright?"

His student jerked, obviously having forgotten his presence, then nodded slowly.

"Hai." He replied quietly then, before he could lose his nerve, he slid the boy open and stepped into the class room, only to be met with a fist to the face and angry blue eyes.

"Naruto!" Iruka chastised shocked but his surrogate little brother ignored him and punched the young Uchiha again, tears and anger in his gaze.

"Y-you complete fucking BASTARD!" He snarled and Sasuke, to the shock of the entire class, caught the fist and smirked.

"I deserved that."

Naruto glared at him and he winced. "And that. But can we wait until _after_ class, dobe."

The blond blinked and looked around, giving a terrified squeak when he saw most of the girls in class glaring at him for punching their crush. Blushing, he jerked away from Sasuke and stormed back to his seat, leaving the other to follow. The young heir did so with a smirk, and a swagger unlike any he'd ever seen in the boy. Iruka stared at them for a moment, then turned to continue teaching his class, pushing the matter to the back of his mind and resolving to talk to both boys after class.

* * *

"So, gonna tell me what's wrong now?"

Itachi ignored his best friend and continued to train, punching the training post in front of him so hard that his fists bled.

He couldn't look at Shisui, not yet. He couldn't look at him without seeing him with that eerie, peaceful smile, and cheeks stained red with tears of blood as he fell beneath the full moon.

He couldn't.

Not in a village full of ghosts, many of which he'd killed either directly or indirectly. Not here at the river where he'd lost this very man so long ago.

If he looked, he would break, and he refused to do that. Since arriving in the past, he'd shed more tears than he deserved to for people he didn't deserve to cry for.

What murderer was allowed to cry for their victims?

Full lips curled into an angry snarl and he forced all of his anger and frustration into one punch, watching with dead onyx eyes as the training post shattered, shards of wood cutting into his pale skin.

A strong calloused hand wrapped around his wrist like a steel brand, the concern of its owner palpable, as he finally allowed himself to be turned around to face Shisui. The normally happy man was scowling at him in a way so eerily reminiscent of Sasuke that in any other situation he would've laughed.

This wasn't any other situation.

Shisui was worried and angry, his sharingan spinning wildly as if he could scare Itachi into admitting what was wrong, if he glared hard enough.

"Talk to me, _otouto._ "

Itachi stiffened but his expression remained blank. "Don't call me that."

"Why not? You are my brother, Itachi. Not by blood but by bond. Whatever is bothering you, whatever happened on that mission to cause this, I can help you fix it. Just _talk to me._ "

Dead onyx eyes met his pleading ones and he snarled wordlessly, hating whatever was making Itachi like this. His little pacifistic cousin, was not fit to be a shinobi, no matter how good he was at the shinobi arts and there were times that he loathed Sasuke's very existence. Without Sasuke, Itachi would've lived a normal life, the life he deserved.

A bird sounded overhead and Itachi's lifeless gaze left his, sharpening when they actually landed on the bird. It was a beautiful hawk-like bird with pale blue feathers, its wings smattered with dark spots. Intelligent amber eyes found Itachi immediately and their owner crowed happily, landing on the young shinobi's arm as he extended it.

"Iza," The heir breathed softly, disbelief coloring his words and she nuzzled him slightly, nipping his nose.

"Master sends a letter, Little Raven. For your eyes alone."

Shisui scowled, hating not knowing who was sending the letter yet relief that a bit of life had entered his gaze.

Itachi hummed softly and took the letter with a strange look in his eyes, something like relief but more broken.

"Return to him. Tell him to be careful."

The bird crowed and nipped his nose again before taking off.

Once it was gone, Shisui stared at Itachi with narrowed eyes, positive now that the being before him was an imposter, someone possessing his friend because while the being's chakra matched Itachi's its behavior didn't. It was too quiet, too broke, too… _wrong._

Lips curling into an angry expression, he tackled the raven to the ground and placed a kunai to his throat.

"Who are you?"

 **TBC…**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

" _Who are you?"_

Itachi stared up at his cousin passively, the dark longing for death warring with his responsibility to Sasuke and their mission.

Shisui stared back, his normally kind eyes cold and hard in a way that Itachi had only seen them in those final days before the massacre. The hand holding the kunai to his throat was unyielding, the icy kiss of the blade tempting even with the pain in hidden in the depths of their owner's merciless gaze.

"Who are you?" Shisui growled once more, the younger, or was he older(?), male stared up at him, then sighed.

"Uchiha Itachi, age 13. Rank, ANBU. Anbu identification number RJ11C16U04."

Shisui faltered, his hand shaking slightly.

"Otouto…" He breathed, before removing the blade from his little cousin's neck. "What's wrong Itachi? Why are you acting so different? Is Sasuke-gaki alright?"

"Sasuke is fine. I'm fine."

"No, you're not!" The heir blinked and his lips twitched in morbid amusement, before he smiled.

"Get off of my brother!"

Shisui barely had time to blink before a small black blur tackled him to the ground, angry crimson eyes glaring down at him.

He stilled and he saw Itachi pale in the corner of his eye.

Sasuke had a sharingan.

 _Sasuke_ had activated his _sharingan_!

Suddenly, Itachi's listlessness made much more sense. Sasuke was the most important person in the Uchiha Heir's life and if the child had activated the sharingan then he was in danger of being pulled into the clan's schemes and plans. This in turn, would've made Itachi's whole life since the boy's birth void and would put him in danger.

"Sasuke." Itachi's voice was sharp and full of muted fury and Sasuke scowled, pulling away from Shisui and moving to his brother's side, his red eyes still spinning wildly.

"Are you hurt?"

Itachi placed a slim hand over Sasuke's eyes and Shisui was stunned when he forcefully deactivated the child's kekkei genkai.

"Sasuke," he repeated and the younger heir looked up at him.

"Hai?"

"Do not activate them again."

A pout crossed the boy's lips and he scoffed.

"I will if I have to."

"Sasuke-"

"No," Shisui gaped at his youngest cousin's fierce expression. "You don't have to protect me anymore, Aniki. Not this time."

For a moment, the other didn't speak…then he smiled, a warm gentle thing that calmed the feeling of wrongness in his chest.

"How is Naruto-kun?"

Sasuke smiled proudly, a light blush on his cheeks.

"He punched me in the face. Twice."

A startled laugh left Shisui's lips, melding with the soft chuckle Itachi gave and the elder shook his head softly.

"I told you he would."

Sasuke nodded glancing down at the letter still grasped in his brother's hand. A sly smirk crossed his lips and Shisui was surprised to see a light blush cross his best friend's cheeks.

"Say nothing, otouto."

Sasuke's smirk widened, before he turned to glare at Shisui.

"You're still here."

The jounin snorted.

"I'm waiting for an explanation."

Itachi's gaze moved in his direction, colder than any he'd ever had directed at him from the younger man.

"Sasuke activated his sharingan yesterday. I am training him to use it and keep it from tou-sama."

Shisui smiled and ruffled Sasuke's hair.

"Congratulations, gaki."

His gaze became serious. "Listen to Itachi, Sasuke. He's trying to protect you."

To his surprise, his younger cousin sneered at him. "I don't need protecting."

The jounin glared at him. "Sasuke-"

"Stop." Both of them fell silent at Itachi's words but a short glare from Sasuke told him that the argument wasn't over.

Itachi glanced between the two of them and shook his head.

Those two would never learn.

A tiny smile crossed his lips, unseen by the other two, because hopefully things were different this time and they would never have to.

* * *

 _ **Little Raven,**_

 _ **You will never know how surprised I was to awaken where I did, nor how heavy my heart felt when I found not a trace of you there. I have spoken to the Rain and I have been told that there is place for you among the Red Clouds should you want it. At the end of the month, we will be organizing a summit without the cyclops' knowledge to negotiate a treaty with the Third Fire Shadow. I would love to see you, love. I can't tell you how much I miss you, because a letter would never be able to express it all. I love you.**_

 _ **Yours,**_

 _ **K.H**_

 _ **P.S. Be Careful. The Cyclops has set plans in motion.**_

Itachi's heart melted as he read the letter his husband had sent him, a slight blush crossing his cheeks, even though the letter lacked his husband's usual crass humor. He missed Kisame fiercely and had it not been for Sasuke, he would've left the village the moment he awakened in the dreadful place. All the same, he felt something in him calm at the familiar handwriting, even with the haunting message at the end.

"A letter from an admirer?" He spun around at his mother's soft familiar voice, folding the letter quickly. He studiously avoided her gaze, unable to look at her without seeing an overlay of the lifeless corpse he's last seen in her place last he had been there.

The small fragment of peace that he'd felt at getting Kisame's letter vanished, a strange chill settling over him when his mother's soft hand cupped his cheek and forced their gaze to meet.

"You've never avoided my eyes and you will not now, Itachi. All day you have been listless…what happened on your mission?"

He stared at her blankly, stiffening when Fugaku entered the room. He pulled away from her, as if her very touch had burned him, fleeing the room before his father could speak. His heart raced violently in his chest and he closed the door to his bedroom, collapsing against it. Then, covering his mouth with trembling hands, he let out all of the anxiety and agony building in him in a muffled scream.

He screamed, and screamed until his body felt heavy and his lungs burned.

Moments later he fell into blissful unconsciousness.

 **TBC…**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

 _ **Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen,**_

 _ **I would like to formally request a meeting with you to discuss a treaty between our nations. During a mission a few months ago, one of my subordinates was saved by one of yours, a crow, and he made such an impact on my shinobi that he asked specifically for this treaty in order to thank the young man in person. If you do not feel safe, you are free to bring your personal guard as well as guests. I wish you to experience the best hospitality Amegakure has to offer.**_

 _ **Best of wishes,**_

 _ **Pein**_

 _ **Amekage of Amegakure**_

The Hokage frowned deeply as he read over and pondered its contents. Not much was known about Amegakure, as their kage preferred to keep them isolated from the rest of the world. It was probably the most peaceful country in the hidden nations and easily one of the most powerful. However, there was one certain fact to be known about Amegakure, one that made every village wary of allying themselves with it; Its shinobi population consisted widely of nuke-nins. From the violent Hoshigaki Kisame, to the puppet master of Suna, Sasori no Akatsuna. They were vicious and fiercely protective of their country, and as such, if they were under the Amekage's rule they were untouchable by ANBU and Oni-nin.

He pursed his lips, and leaned forward, resting his chin on his folded hands.

This, however, may also prove to be just the mission he needed. The Uchiha were growing restless the longer they were watched, the scorn in their eyes growing each time the council proved that they didn't trust them. There had even been talk of a coup d'état and their heir had revealed that the only reason he'd been allowed to join the ANBU was to serve as his clan's spy. He revealed that his family was headed down a dangerous path, one that would endanger his little brother, his most precious person. This would be the perfect mission.

"Inu,"

The silver haired Anbu stepped from the shadows, head tilted in silent question.

"Send for Karasu. And bring me Shisui and Fugaku."

"Hai Hokage-sama."

He monotoned and with a swift salute, he vanished.

Once he was gone, Hiruzen glanced back at the letter in front of him, hoping with all his heart that this trip would be able to turn things around for a clan that otherwise would fall.

* * *

Shisui frowned worriedly as he watched his baby cousin go through his morning katas, dark eyes uncharacteristically serious.

Two weeks had passed since Itachi's strange behavior had started and he found himself worrying more and more for the teen with each passing day. There hadn't been anything big, not since that first day, but small things that no one else, except for probably Sasuke would've noticed. Little ticks that were all forming a mix matched puzzle in Shisui's mind.

Sometimes, when he thought he wasn't looking, Itachi would glance at him with a look of grief and guilt so profound that it should have never graced the younger teens face. Others, he would get lost gazing up at the sky, then he would turn and walk away, only to falter suddenly with no warning and look behind him bewildered. It was as if he were expecting someone to be there.

It boggled him because Itachi only had one friend outside of the clan and they didn't even speak much, let alone often enough for Itachi to expect them at his side.

The sudden appearance of said friend drew him from his thoughts and he found himself staring into the mismatched eyes of Hatake Kakashi.

A few feet away, Itachi paused and straightened, a tiny smile on his lips.

"Shisui-san, Fugaku-sama, Hokage-sama requests your presence." The hound monotoned and Shisui blinked turning to find his uncle standing there with his ever-present scowl on his face.

"We'll be there." He growled and Kakashi didn't even blink.

"Immediately. I am to transport you."

Shisui held in a snicker knowing how much the clan head and the older Uchiha dislike the man. Sure enough, Fugaku's scowl deepened and he nodded. Reaching out the silver-haired man grabbed both of their arms and vanished making a vague signal in Itachi's direction.

When they arrived at the Hokage's office, Shisui's eyebrow shot up.

Itachi was already there…in full ANBU gear.

How…the…fuck…

"Shisui-san." He turned to the Hokage who looked vaguely amused as he gestured for him and Fugaku to sit.

"Fugaku-kun, I am aware that there has been a lot of unrest between your clan and the rest of the village since the Kyuubi attack eight years ago. Because of this, I have found a mission that will ease those tensions."

Fugaku frowned, raising an eyebrow imperiously.

Hiruzen smiled and ignored the question, turning to Itachi.

"A few months ago, you save an Amegakure shinobi on your way from a mission, did you not?"

"I did." Karasu monotone and the Hokage's smile brightened.

"Well, thanks to your actions the Amekage has asked to negotiate a treaty with us. I will be traveling to Amegakure in one week to negotiate a treaty with him. Fugaku-san, Shisui-san, your job is to accompany me there. Team Inu and Team Karasu will serve as our guards."

The clan head frowned thoughtfully.

While he normally tried to stay out of diplomatic missions he was well versed in them. Before the Yondaime's death, he'd served as one of the village's top ambassadors, however afterwards with the stigma growing around his clan's name, he'd retired to take over the police force instead. This could be a chance to build his clan's prestige back to the way it had been before the attack.

He'd be able to spare at least Sasuke from the villager's steadily growing scorn.

Nodding, he looked back at the Hokage.

"I accept."

Beside him Shisui nodded as well, his expression much too serious for a child of only sixteen. The young jounin had always played the light to Itachi's dark,, making his otherwise passive son smile in ways that now only Sasuke did. He could only hope that by taking this mission, he could prevent the same darkness from taking his youngest son as it had swallowed his eldest.

* * *

Two more weeks.

A small smile curled Itachi's lips as he packed his things in preparation for his upcoming mission.

In two more weeks, he would be home where he belonged. He would be out of this hellhole full of ghosts and masks.

Just two more weeks….

 **TBC…**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Sasuke smirked slightly as he entered his brother's room to find the elder Uchiha packing for a mission, eyes brighter than they had been since they'd began this entire thing.

He'd been worried since their return to past, seeing how the shadows of his "crimes" dragged his brother's soul further and further into despair, and he'd found himself regretting their choice. He knew that Itachi had only agreed to Kami's plan for his sake, and yet, selfishly, he'd gone along with it anyways. Now, he was being forced to watch the man struggle get through the day in a village he hadn't been welcome in since he was thirteen, and speak to people he'd been forced to kill.

He watched as Itachi silently fell apart, shouldering one burden after another, eyes dimming with each passing day, and guilt welled up in his heart.

Why had he done this?

His brother had merely wanted to return to the afterlife peacefully, and yet he'd given it all up to follow Sasuke on his selfish whims.

It made Sasuke hate how good of an actor his brother was.

How could he have believed that this man, this selfless, soft-hearted man, killed their family for his own gain when he denied his own wishes to help Sasuke achieve his.

"Deep thoughts?"

He blinked, realizing he'd just been staring at his brother, who was now watching him worriedly.

The younger Uchiha shook his head, taking in the lack of tension in the older male's shoulders and the tiny smile playing at the corner of his lips.

"You're not normally this happy about missions." He stated and a faint blush danced its way across Itachi's cheeks.

"We're accompanying Tou-sama and Hokage-sama to meet the Amekage and discuss a treaty."

A slow smirk crossed the younger male's lips, eyes full of younger brother mischief. "Going to see Ki-sa-me?" He teased and Itachi's blush darkened.

"It's a treaty meeting."

Sasuke snorted. "Is that what that letter was about?"

Itachi nodded, blush calming slightly. "Pein-sama wishes to derail Madara's plans by forming a secret alliance with Hokage-sama. While I am gone, I wish for you and Naruto-kun to train and listen around the compound for whispers of the coup. Being so secluded has made our clansmen cocky with their information and they are not as careful as they should be about spreading such things."

Sasuke nodded and hugged his brother. "Be careful. I can't lose you again."

The elder Uchiha smirked and pulled away tapping the child's forehead. His brother pouted up at him, causing him to smile, a quiet chuckle leaving his lips.

"Be careful, otouto." He replied, sealing his things in a scroll before leaving the room and meeting their father at the door.

"Ready to go?"

"Hai."

Shisui appeared behind them with a small pack and an easy smile. Returning the smile with a small one of his own, Itachi pulled his mask over his face and vanished.

Fugaku's eyes narrowed and he turned to his nephew.

"Let's go."

The younger man nodded and followed him, noticing with a slight frown that Sasuke stood in the doorway watching them with a worried expression.

Onyx eyes, older than they had any right to be met his own before their owner gave him a slight nod and slid back into the shadows.

His frown deepened and he resolved to ask Itachi about it.

* * *

When they arrived at the gate both Team Karasu and Team Inu were there surrounding the Hokage protectively. Shisui's gaze sought his younger cousin immediately, and found the teen standing at the rear of the village leader, talking to his team in quick hand signs. Even beneath the armor he could see that the stress and tension the other had been carrying for the past few weeks had lessened immensely. It wasn't completely gone as most people would believe, but it didn't haunt his steps as it had since the awakening of Sasuke's sharingan.

"Inu-taicho, Karasu-taicho, are we ready?"

The two in question bowed.

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

The elderly man smiled. "Move out."

In mere moments, the entourage took to the trees and vanished from view.

* * *

"Pein-sama, our guests have left Konoha."

Pein nodded, purple-ringed eyes observing Kisame carefully.

"Are you alright?"

The shark-like man sighed softly. "Madara is due back from wherever he went in a few days and my mate will be forced to be around him for weeks."

"Are. You. Alright?" Pein repeated and Kisame smirked.

"I'm fine, Itachi's coming home."

* * *

The trip to Amegakure couldn't have been more peaceful…or more nerve-wracking.

Every step they took brought him closer to the village he'd called home for nearly a decade and it felt like all the burdens he'd been carrying were slowly falling away.

Still, his nerves were singing at the thought of seeing his husband…and Madara again.

His eyes narrowed beneath his mask and a snarl curled his lips.

He hated that man, the one that had taken his brother's rage and twisted it until the child had tried to destroy everything they'd both loved. He had never, ever wanted vengeance against the man, but he wouldn't stop if the opportunity was presented for him to kill the bastard. Anything to keep him away from Sasuke.

A familiar chakra signature brushed against his own like a long-lost friend and he stopped drawing every one's attention.

"Karasu?"

"The welcome party." He responded and the Hokage raised an eyebrow as the rest of the Anbu tensed.

"Friendly?"

"Hai. It's the Amekage's bodyguard, Hoshigaki Kisame."

Shisui blinked. "You memorized his chakra signature in a day?"

"He has a fondness of trying to sneak up on me."

Inu snickered. "Did he succeed?"

Itachi hummed. "Once." He turned to the Hokage and Fugaku.

"How do you wish to proceed?"

* * *

Shisui pursed his lips at his cousin's question, noting the spark of anger in Fugaku's eyes. The Uchiha head had been seething for most of the trip as he watched Itachi defer to the Hokage and Inu over him. It was surprising he hadn't snapped yet.

"How far is he?"

The young Anbu didn't respond merely nodding his head toward a tree a few yards away. A rough laugh sounded.

"Damn. Thought I had ya, Birdy." Taunted a deep voice and they all blinked.

His first thought was _damn._

Hoshigaki was tall, taller than everyone in their group. His pale blue skin stretched over his broad-shouldered muscular frame, dark blue hair contrasting it nicely. Small amber eyes gleamed with amusement as they met Itachi's through the eyes of his mask and- _were those_ _ **gills**_ _?!_

Suddenly, Fugaku tensed beside him, fear flashing in his dark gaze.

"Hoshigaki Kisame. You're one of the Seven Swordsmen."

Hoshigaki smirked.

"Yep. Wanted for attempted assassination of the Mizukage, too. Acquitted, of course."

"Of course." Hokage-sama replied dryly and a muffled sound left Itachi.

"Kisame-san." Was that amusement in his cousin's voice?

His smirk widened. "Hai, _hai_ , Birdy-chan. Right this way, Hokage-sama…Uchiha-sama. Anbu. Pein-sama is expecting you."

Turning, he led them further into the forest which rippled to reveal a tall gate with the symbol for _ame_ on it.

A stoic orange haired man waited for them just outside them wearing a black cloak covered in red clouds. Piercings marred his face and purple ringed eyes gazed at them softening when they landed on Karasu.

"Welcome to Amegakure, Uchiha-sama, Hokage-sama. I am the Amekage, Pein."

 **TBC…**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** **Slightly OOC! Itachi**

 **Chapter Seven**

 _A stoic orange haired man waited for them just outside them wearing a black cloak covered in red clouds. Piercings marred his face and purple ringed eyes gazed at them softening when they landed on Karasu._

" _Welcome to Amegakure, Uchiha-sama, Hokage-sama. I am the Amekage, Pein."_

"Thank you for meeting with us, Amekage-sama."

Sarutobi greeted, stunned at the doujutsu the younger Kage possessed.

The rinnegan hadn't been seen in decades, not since the destruction of Uzushiogakure and he hadn't even known that there was anyone alive that still possessed the powerful kekkei genkai. It was…strange to see it again.

Fortunately, the Amekage said nothing about his scrutiny, turning to face Karasu.

"Hello, Karasu. It's very nice to see you again. I hope everything healed well."

Fugaku fought not to turn and examine every inch of his son, not liking the implication that Itachi had been injured and he knew little about it. Evidently, Shisui felt the same because the young Uchiha's gaze flitted to the young Anbu worriedly.

"I am well, Amekage-sama."

Pein smiled, mauve eyes softening. "Good, Kisame was hoping you would be able to spar during your visit."

The shark-like man grinned darkly. "You cheated last time."

Karasu hummed and when he spoke his voice held a touch of amusement. "That is your excuse every time you lose."

Shisui raised an eyebrow and Pein sighed.

"Hokage-sama, may I ask a favor?"

Sarutobi narrowed his eyes hesitantly.

"Depends."

"My shinobi have had run-ins with various of your ANBU over the past few months. While these ANBU did not wear the masks the ones accompanying you wore, the masks make my shinobi wary all the same and some _will_ attack if they see them. I ask for the safety of your shinobi and my own, that your ANBU remove their masks. Of course, mine will repay the same courtesy."

The aging Kage frowned, weighing his options. From what he'd seen, it was likely that the two men before him had already seen Karasu unmasked, especially if he'd been injured in their territory. However, he couldn't afford to put everyone at risk so…

"Karasu and Inu will be unmasked. Be forewarned, Inu also wears a face mask, a tradition of his clan. The others, will be hidden around the village and will only be present during our meetings."

The Amekage nodded. "Very well, we shall move this procession to my office."

Returning the nod, the Konoha shinobi followed the man, some wondering just what the hell they were getting themselves into.

* * *

It was…liberating, to be back in Amegakure.

For close to a decade, the village had been his home and he'd come to know it like the back of his hand. Pein's chakra resonated through the land's very foundations and while once it had made him cautious, it now left him feeling at home. Even the shops and building hadn't changed much, some were missing, having not been built yet and somewhere …newer than he'd known them to be, but for the most part everything was the same.

Most importantly, however, Kisame was there.

His husband's chakra washed over him like a balm to his ever-fraying sanity, unconsciously intertwining with his own in a dance only they remembered.

It made him feel free.

If only for a moment, he was able to drag himself from the depths of his depression and _breathe_.

Had he been anyone else he would've cried.

He still wasn't sure that he wouldn't.

The further they walked into the village, the easier it became to breathe and the tighter he had to hold on to his iron-clad control for fear of breaking down into sobs of relief. He was so tired of crying, and he couldn't afford to be weak. Not with Madara lurking in the shadows and his clan's fate, _Sasuke's_ fate hanging precariously in the balance.

Taking a deep breath, he locked everything away in the deepest corner of his mind.

When he was alone.

Only when he was alone.

Kisame's chakra caressed his worriedly and he pushed back a wave of reassurance that he knew the man wouldn't believe.

Another chakra brushed his as they entered Pein's office and his gaze snapped forward to meet a single sharingan eye.

His lips curled into a snarl.

Madara.

* * *

The ANBU tensed at they all entered the Amekage's office to find a man in a swirling mask standing there, sharingan vivid as it gazed out of the only eyehole. Shaggy black hair framed the mask, brushing the man's broad shoulders and he stood only an inch or two over Pein's slight 5'7. A black cloak covered in red clouds obscured his entire outfit, barring the bandaged bottom of black pants and his black sandals.

The man seemed stunned to see them as well, his shoulders tensing at the sight of them and Kisame's hand moved to his sword, killing intent flaring.

"Pein-sama," He greeted coolly, sharingan spinning. "And Karasu. What a…pleasant surprise."

Pein hummed.

"I had hoped this meeting would escape your knowledge." He monotoned, placing a hand on Kisame's arm to placate the man. The swordsman relaxed, but only just.

The stranger's sharingan began to spin lazily, forming a three-sided shuriken with connecting edges forming a circle around the pupil.

"I have eyes and ears everywhere, _Pein_. Not much escapes my notice." He commented, his voice soft, almost gentle.

"I knew the second they left the village, and I decided that a treaty couldn't be drawn without a little…incentive."

Sarutobi narrowed his eyes.

"Who are you?"

"Now, now, not everyone is present yet."

* * *

Itachi stiffened when the air around the man warped, his eyes widening as three people emerged from the kamui.

Naruto.

Mother.

 _Sasuke_.

His heart froze in his chest.

No.

 _No!_

Sasuke grunted as he landed, Naruto cursing angrily, while Mikoto looked bemused.

"What happened?" She whispered, and Sasuke stilled looking around, snarling angrily as he spotted Madara.

" **You**."

Madara hummed. "Have we met?"

"Get away from my family!" Fugaku yelled furiously, moving to get to said family only for the masked man to vanish. There was a brief gust of wind and Itachi was vaguely aware of his mask leaving his face, before Madara reappeared holding all eight of the ANBU's masks.

"That's better. Now we can speak face to face."

Naruto and Sasuke sneered at him, their eyes blazing with anger as he merely chuckled.

Pein stepped forward.

"Why are you here, Madara?"

"Madara?" Fugaku and Shisui whispered and Naruto's glared deepened.

"Why don't you take of your mask and **stop playing games, Obito?** " He growled, eyes flashing red as he glared up at the man who stiffened. Behind him, Itachi could feel Inu do the same.

"Obito?"

"How do you know that name, gaki?"

" **Go fuck yourself."** Naruto responded, his voice still Kyuubi's gruff baritone.

Itachi used the distraction to vanish, reappearing directly in front of 'Madara'. He gave the man a gentle smile, his own eyes bleeding into the nightmarish form of the Mangekyo then into the Eternal Mangekyo.

He could hear Sasuke and Mikoto gasp at his eyes, could hear Kisame trying to get to him, but all of his attention was on the man in front of him.

This man, who had single-handedly caused so much pain and grief. Who had betrayed his own beliefs in order to enhance his own power.

This man, who embodied the Uchiha Clan's curse of hatred.

Who had warped his sacrifice and used it to break his already shattered otouto. To make his beloved little brother into something so destructive and vicious, turning him against everything Itachi had given his life to protect…including himself.

He had never hated anyone as much as he hated this man.

Madara Uchiha, Obito, _whoever_ he was, he wanted him to suffer.

He maybe a pacifist by belief but he held the hatred of his clan just as deep in his blood as anyone, and he knew more ways to torture and kill than anyone in the room.

But he wouldn't shatter him physically.

The mind, Madara's mind was his greatest asset and he _knew_ that the man would break if his mind was broken.

He wanted him to break.

A rough hand wrapped around his throat as he stood stoically in front of the man, letting his chakra pulse as if he were attempting the Tsukuyomi and he could feel the arrogance emanating from his adversary as the attempts 'failed.'

"Let go of my son."

"Aniki!"

"Let him go!"

Madara chuckled, grip tightening even as Itachi remained impassive.

"I want…" Everyone silenced looking at Itachi.

"What?"

Itachi looked up, Eternal Mangekyou spinning wildly. "I want you to _**suffer.**_ "

" _ **Tsukuyomi."**_

The jutsu hit him dead on, and Itachi grinned viciously as the man's eyes went blank, knowing he only had a minute, two at most before the elder Uchiha broke the jutsu and escaped.

He shoved every moment of agony of each of his clan mates, the pain and despair of his life and Sasuke's at the man without showing him actual memories. He shoved the gut-wrenching sorrow and grief that he'd felt when he'd killed his family and the vomit inducing pain he'd suffered under Madara's own hand in his first few months in the Akatsuki, something very few knew about.

Every negative emotion he'd felt, he shoved it at the man with as much force as he could, allowing the illusion to use the man's own memories to warp it into his worst nightmare.

The hand around his throat loosened and Madara screamed, a sound full of grief and agony.

"Does it hurt?" He purred. "Does it _burn_ to watch it happen and know you can do _**nothing**_. You are a pawn. Your power can't save you. It couldn't save _her_. _**Nothing**_ will bring her back because _you_ killed her." He snarled, using the knowledge he had of his cousin and of Kakashi's mission to amplify the illusion.

"I didn't- I didn't- Kakashi, he-"

So, he _was_ Obito. Itachi almost felt bad.

Almost.

Obito had been one of his favorite cousins, having been Shisui's elder brother growing up, until he'd died when Itachi was four. Shisui had never gotten over his death, and had it not been for what he'd done to Sasuke, he would've let everything go.

But knowing that Shisui's beloved elder brother had not only orchestrated the coup that led to Shisui's death but also weaponized Sasuke, it made his hatred for the man burn brighter.

Obito's eyes started to clear, ever as his body trembled and he threw Itachi across the room.

Before anyone could move, the air warped around him and he disappeared.

 **TBC…**

 **So…this ran away from me a bit.**

 **Just a little bit.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

 _Obito's eyes started to clear, ever as his body trembled and he threw Itachi across the room._

 _Before anyone could move, the air warped around him and he disappeared._

* * *

"Itachi!" Sasuke cried rushing to his elder brother's side, shoving aside all the emotions churning in his gut.

When Obito had grabbed him, his mother, and Naruto in _**Kamui**_ , they'd been in the living room of the main house. He'd been introducing Naruto to his mother as his best friend, while the kitsune hid behind him, afraid of her reaction. She'd been about to speak, her dark eyes cautious but happy since he'd never brought home a friend before, preferring to follow Shisui and Itachi around, then the masked bastard had appeared in their living room taking them before they could even begin to protest.

It was painful, to watch the man that had been behind his older brother's pain hold the other in the air by his throat and when Itachi spoke, he didn't know whether to be terrified or proud.

His aniki had never displayed the signs of their cursed hatred until that moment.

" _I want you to_ **suffer.** _"_ He'd said it so softly, like a mother comforting her child and once Tsukuyomi had Obito in its grasp, he had felt both sorry for the man, and justified in enjoying the suffering appearing in every line of his face.

Itachi shifted into a sitting position, the eternal Mangekyō melting into the Mangekyō, then spinning lazily into a three tomoe sharingan. Blood stained his lips, but he wiped away before anyone but Sasuke could see it, lips curling into an angry snarl.

"Aniki," Sasuke whispered, hugging his brother tight, and the teen's face softened.

"I apologize. I shouldn't have lost my temper."

"Why do you have those eyes?" Their father asked, horror coating his voice. "Itachi, answer me! How did you get those horrible eyes?! Who was that man?!"

Itachi opened his mouth to speak but a coughing fit cut him off.

Sasuke whimpered, eerily reminded of the day he'd killed him.

 _Blood speckled his lips, a thin trail of it sliding down his chin_ ( _He wasn't breathing, he was smiling, please aniki wake up),_ and before any of them could say anything, the Uchiha heir collapsed _("Sorry Sasuke, this is it.")_.

Trapped in his memories of that day, Sasuke screamed, breathing speeding up until he followed his brother into the darkness.

" _Don't leave me again."_

* * *

He was panicking.

His sons were lying unconscious on the floor of a foreign Kage's office, his oldest son bore their clan's most closely guard secret and even in unconsciousness the young ANBU captain was coughing up blood.

Hoshigaki kneeled beside the two, gently moving Sasuke out of the way and turning Itachi on his side so that the blood could escape, instead of choking him. Mikoto pulled Sasuke into her arms, watching their eldest worriedly and Shisui moved to sit beside the shark-like man, nearly shoving him out of the way.

Hatake, stood beside the Hokage, his gaze wide and haunted and skin pale, and he almost felt sorry for the eye-thief. The Kyuubi child was beside Mikoto watching Sasuke with concern in his blue eyes and he reminded Fugaku so heavily of his father that his heart ached.

"Is he okay?" The Hokage asked and the Amekage sighed heavily, looking much older than the late twenties Fugaku had placed his age to be.

"He is fine. He had a similar coughing fit during his stay a few months ago. Our healers managed to discover that it is a side effect of an illness of some sort that weakened his heart and lungs. It targets his respiratory system and the fits strike after emotionally stressful or physically stressful moments. However, unless he chokes on his own blood, it will not kill him."

Fugaku glared at the man, his own sharingan flashing before he turned back to his children.

"Itachi," Shisui whispered softly, shaking the teen's shoulder. "Hey, wake up, buddy. We got a lot to talk about."

Hoshigaki glared at him.

"Let him rest." He growled, gathering the teen in his arms and Shisui glared back moving as if to pull the unconscious boy from the former nuke-nin's arms. The Amekage stopped him, with a placating hand on his arm.

"Itachi is more comfortable with Kisame than he is with anyone barring young Sasuke. He will be fine."

Unwilling to cause an international incident by punching them both in the face, Shisui swallowed the sarcastic response that wanted to leave his lips, instead helping Mikoto lift Sasuke.

Turning to them, the Amekage gave them a weary smile.

"I believe it will be best for us all to rest and reconvene in the morning, Hokage-sama."

The Hokage nodded slowly, obviously still reeling from the events that had happened moments prior.

"Yes, I believe that will be best."

Pein nodded. "Come, I will show you the way to my home. My wife has set up rooms for you all."

The Konoha shinobi followed him, praying, for the sake of their sanity that there would no more surprises. They'd had all the excitement they could take at the moment and Fugaku knew that once his children woke in the morning, they would finally get answers.

Dread built in his gut and he wrapped an arm around his wife's waist to mask the shudder that ran through him.

Something told him that those answers were not the ones he would want to hear and deep in his mind he wondered if he wanted to hear them at all.

* * *

His brother was alive.

His heart clenched painfully in his chest as he remembered hearing the jinchuriki address the masked man by his dead aniki's name and he couldn't help but wonder what was hurting him more.

It hurt that his brother had been alive when he'd mourned him for the past years. It hurt that his brother had been in the room with them and hadn't even acknowledged his existence, beyond a cursory glance. Most of all, it hurt to hear Itachi, the one person he was closest to, speak to his brother with so much _hatred_ , an emotion he'd thought his surrogate younger brother incapable of feeling.

He glanced over at the other bed in the room, taking in the way the sleeping teen clung to Hoshigaki's bulky frame. The three of them had been forced to share a room when the unconscious raven had latched onto the swordsman and refused to let go, a heartbroken whimper leaving his lips whenever the shark tried to pry him off.

The shark had looked at his baby cousin with the fondest expression he'd ever seen on anyone, barring the looks Itachi gave Sasuke. He'd glared at the former nuke-nin, reminding him that Itachi was only thirteen, to which the man had laughed, as if he knew something he didn't.

He wanted to yank Itachi away from him, wanted to shake him awake and demand answers but he couldn't, not when the image of Itachi coughing up blood was still so firmly etched into his mind.

All he could do was sleep and pray things would look better in the morning.

* * *

 _No!_

 _Susanoo stood tall as it guarded his brother's battered form and he whined deep in his throat as he realized what he was watching._

 _Itachi's first death had haunted his dreams since the first night that Obito had revealed to him the truth of his brother's sacrifice, taking his clan's massacre's place as his worst memory._

 _The regret and guilt had stayed with him, even after Itachi himself had showed him his memories of what really happened, especially when he took into account his own actions following the elder Uchiha's death._

 _Across from his dream self, Itachi began to stumble forward, pausing and gripping his chest as he began to cough violently._

 _He wanted to look away._

 _He didn't want to see his brother die, not again._

 _The dream didn't change._

 _Itachi collapsed to his knees vomiting blood, and his Susanoo flickered violently, disappearing all together for a moment._

 _His dream self saw this as the moment to attack and tried to take the chance only for Susanoo to reappear, protecting its master._

" _My eyes, they're my eyes…" Itachi rasped holding up a hand as he moved closer to dream-Sasuke, true to his role until the very last second. Finally, the two were only inches apart and Itachi…poked him in the forehead, smiling the same gentle smile he remembered from his childhood._

" _Sorry Sasuke, this is it."_

Sasuke awake with a sob.

Slim arms, smaller than he remembered but no less powerful wrapped around him and he turned burying his face in his kitsune's chest.

"He was dead, Naru. I killed him. I killed him."

Naruto shushed him gently. "He's alive, Sasuke. He's right on the other side of those walls. Sh, it's okay."

"I killed him." He repeated, sobbing harder and Naruto nodded.

"I know. And he forgives you."

"He shouldn't."

Naruto bopped him on the head gently, causing him to look up with red-rimmed black eyes.

"Listen, your brother was dying when he stepped onto that battle field. He knew, he _knew_ he wouldn't be leaving alive but he wanted _you_ to "kill" him so that your clan could regain its honor, so that you could have closure. Do not belittle his sacrifice. I have never seen a brother, that loves his sibling more than your older brother loves you. He forgives you because to him, there was never anything to forgive. Respect his wishes and let him have that."

Sasuke stared at him. "When did you get so wise?"

Naruto snorted. "I have no idea." He wiped away the tears marring his raven's cheeks.

"You okay?"

He nodded, curling into the smaller boy.

"Good, let's go back to sleep. Tomorrow is gonna be a long day."

"If Tou-san gives aniki a hard time, we're kicking his ass." The raven yawned, eyes fluttering shut as sleep pulled him back into its grasp. "And Kisame's."

Naruto snickered, following the older boy into sleep's embrace. "Sure thing, teme."

* * *

 _He couldn't breathe._

 _The hands holding his katana trembled as he stood behind his parents, the blood of his other clansmen staining his armor and his face. His sword dripped with it and it took everything in him not to prostrate himself in front of his parents and beg their forgiveness._

' _Do it for Sasuke.' He reminded himself that if he failed in this then Sasuke would grow up in the same war-torn hell he'd grown up in._

 _No._

 _Sasuke would never know the stench of rotting flesh and coppery blood, the crimson soaked fields of war. He would never know the pains of starvation because food was running scarce and had to be preserved for the shinobi so they would have energy to fight. Nor would he know the agonized cries of the dying the iryo-nin couldn't reach in time._

 _No, Sasuke would never know_ **war.**

 _He wouldn't allow it, even if he had to bear the brand criminal and his brother's hatred forever._

 _He would be that obstacle for Sasuke to overcome to become stronger, so that he would be able to protect himself._

 _And when his otouto finally killed him he would die with a smile on his face._

 _These thoughts in mind, he raised his blade and swung._

Black eyes flew open.

Tears streamed silently down porcelain cheeks but their owner made no sound, pale lips moving in a silent plea for forgiveness. Kisame's arms tightened around him and he rolled over, burying his face in the man's strong chest as he silently cried. His control was shot, and his body trembled with the force of his guilt and his sorrow but no sound ever left his lips.

One of Kisame's calloused hands ran through his hair gently and he felt the ache in his chest slowly but surely lessen.

Things would be better this time. Sasuke wouldn't live like he had before, driven by vengeance and hatred. If it came down to it, he would gladly become a criminal again, if only so Sasuke could finally have his happily ever after.

The hand in his hair moved to his cheek and he looked up at his husband, sniffling slightly.

"It'll be okay." The man rumbled and he nodded, lips quirking into a faint smile when the man kissed him chastely.

"Everything will be okay. I'm here."

"We can change things."

"And we will," Kisame promised, amber eyes gleaming in the darkness. "We will change everything. Starting with the massacre."

He nodded curling deeper into the man's warmth.

"Rest." His lover growled soothingly. "Everything else can wait until morning."

He obeyed, and for the first time since arriving in the past, Itachi slept peacefully, secure in the knowledge that he was finally, _finally_ safe.

 **TBC…**

* * *

 **A/N: Next, Explanations begin.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

" _We can change things."_

" _And we will," Kisame promised, amber eyes gleaming in the darkness. "We will change everything. Starting with the massacre."_

 _He nodded curling deeper into the man's warmth._

" _Rest." His lover growled soothingly. "Everything else can wait until morning."_

 _He obeyed, and for the first time since arriving in the past, Itachi slept peacefully, secure in the knowledge that he was finally, finally safe._

 ***/***

He felt it before he opened his eyes.

He'd aged.

His thirteen-year-old body had felt too tight, too unfamiliar, but the body he woke in, he knew. He knew it as well as he knew his adult form, if only because Kisame knew it just as well.

Sixteen.

Not much different from his thirteen-year-old self really. He was only a few inches taller, his hair was longer as well and he had more muscle. He knew every scar marring his skin, every mark, including the tattoo on his back that Kisame had convinced him to get on his fifteenth birthday. He sighed, opening his eyes to meet amused amber ones.

"You think too much, 'tachi."

"Hn."

His husband rolled his eyes, then glanced behind him, lips curling into a small frown.

"Should probably let ya go, huh? Before that cousin of yours wakes up and starts barkin' at me again."

Itachi stared at him, making his displeasure at the idea known with a slight pursing of his lips, brow furrowing. A large callous hand smoothed the frown, the arm around his waist tightening.

"I know. I don't like it either, but according to your family you don't know me. Plus, I honestly think your father will fry my ass if your cousin doesn't."

Confusion flared in the raven's eyes at the last statement but he pushed past it. "I plan to tell them everything. Originally, I was only gonna tell Sandaime-sama, but with the way things are going, if I don't tell them everything will just happen again. Also, we need to be on the lookout in case Obito or Danzō decide to move."

The shark like nin nodded, then kissed him chastely, before leaving the bed altogether. Itachi laid in place a few moments more, glancing over at the sleeping form of his older cousin in the bed that was one his own.

"Shisui, wake up. Breakfast is soon and I am only explaining once."

Kisame chuckled, throwing on his cloak over the black pants he'd slept with. He didn't bother with a shirt, strapping _Samehada_ to his back.

"See you at breakfast, 'Tachi."

He rumbled as Shisui sat up, leaving the two cousins alone.

"My brother is alive?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes."

"How- no, why? Why do you hate him, Itachi? I've never seen you look at someone the way you looked at him, I've never seen you so…angry before."

The younger Uchiha stared at him, features impassive in a way Shisui had never been able to achieve. For a moment, he didn't respond, then he stood, strapping his katana to his back without bothering to put on his armor.

"Breakfast." He replied, leaving the room. Shisui stared after him, then stood to get dressed only to freeze.

"Did Itachi age a few years?"

 ***/***

Mikoto frowned worriedly as she sat at the breakfast table with the Sandaime, the Amekage and his wife, Kakashi, and her husband, waiting for her sons to appear.

She hadn't expected the day before to go as it had, having suspected that meeting her Sasu-chan's best friend would be exciting but otherwise calm event. She'd been so happy when he appeared in her living room with a mini Minato, her best friend's son hiding shyly behind her baby boy, who'd glared up at her with such protectiveness that she had no doubt they'd be more than friends when they got older. She had wanted to speak, to assure them that she wasn't like the villagers or her foolish husband. She didn't hate Naruto, not in the least, nor did she see him as a weapon like the council and some of her clan's elders. To her he was her friend's child, the only thing she had left of her best friend and she wished she'd been able to do more for him so he wouldn't have had to grow up as he did.

She'd tried to take care of him from the shadow, trying to escape her husband's notice. She'd send him baskets full of fruits and vegetables via the Hokage, clothing and other essentials as well. Only the Sandaime and Itachi knew of her efforts to care for Kushina and Minato's baby and they helped whenever they, delivering the gift baskets to keep them from falling into the hands of spiteful villagers. When Sasuke had brought him before her, she'd wanted to mother him and plead for his forgiveness all at once, yet before she could do either they were all kidnapped _from the middle of the village!_

They'd appeared in a room she'd never seen before and the events that had followed left her a nauseating mix or worried, frustrated and shocked. Obito, her sister's son was alive, more so _her_ sons hated him. Shisui and Kakashi had looked like they'd either vomit or pass out from the revelation, but Itachi, her little boy had looked furious. He'd worn an expression of cold fury that seemed to be a gentle reprimand until one looked into cold crimson eyes and saw the raw hatred within them. Her pacifistic child never hated anyone, not unless they directly hurt Sasuke and she had to wonder what exactly Obito had done to earn such an expression from him.

Speaking of eyes…

How had Itachi come to attain not one but _both_ of the Sharingan's rarest forms? The Mangekyoū He'd probably gotten on a mission but the other?

Sasuke still had his eyes and no Uchiha had died recently.

So how?

How had it happened?

Naruto entered the room, partially hidden behind Sasuke, who frowned when he noticed his elder brother still missing.

Sending her a considering look, her youngest took a seat beside her and pulled the little kitsune into his lap, resting his head on the younger boy's shoulder. Her husband scowled at the action but she shot him a look before he could say anything to discourage it.

Following a few moments later, a large shark-like man entered the room. She vaguely remembered him from the bingo book, and yesterday's events.

Kisame Hoshigaki.

He was smirking at something when he walked in, sword strapped to his back over his black and red cloak. She wanted to ask him where her son was, but something stopped her before she could.

"Kyuubi-brat, finally got through to 'tachi's emo-brat of a brother?"

Naruto smiled.

"Morning, Sashimi-chan."

The Nuke-nin snorted. "Keh, brat."

"Where's Aniki?" Sasuke asked, cutting in before the two could continue, and Hoshigaki rolled his eyes, though she noticed his eyes grew colder as they met her youngest's.

"Waking the other brat." He replied curtly, the earlier fondness in his voice gone.

Mikoto frowned, glancing over as Itachi enter with Shisui. Keen onyx eyes watched as he took a seat beside his brother, not batting an eyelash at his and Naruto's seating arrangement. Hoshigaki took the seat beside him before Shisui could, causing her nephew to glare at him.

Finally, with everyone present, the Amekage stood.

"I suppose, now that everyone is here it is time for explanations."

Fugaku nodded, scowling. "What the hell is going on?!" He turned to Itachi, "and how do you have _those_ eyes?!"

"Uchiha-donō, please calm down. All will be explained."

Settling, her husband's gaze simmered as it bore into the young Kage before them.

"Pein-sama," Itachi began and she was startled at how much deeper his voice compared to the day before.

In fact, he seemed to have aged since she'd last seen him, standing a few inches taller, his tear troughs deeper as well. Hopefully, it would be included in the explanation.

"Glad to see you're well, Itachi. Do you have enough chakra to do the privacy seals?"

"Hai. I believe it would be beneficial if we used _Tsukuyomi_ for Sasuke's memories as well as my own. We can cover more time faster."

Pein nodded.

"I shall use the rinnegan to show my own as well. But first a base explanation." He turned to the increasingly confused Konohanians and his wife. "My name is Uzumaki Nagato. I am the Amekage of Amegakure and known leader of the organization, Akatsuki. Our mission is to gather the bijū to achieve ultimate peace."

The Sandaime and the others tensed moving unconsciously to protect Naruto, and Mikoto shuddered.

Had they been led into a trap?

…had Itachi betrayed them?

Sasuke and Naruto sighed, calm seeing as to how neither knew of the blonde's burden. She'd never been more thankful for their ignorance.

"Why are you telling us this?" She asked, and he nodded toward Naruto who looked at them with a calmer gaze than most had ever seen.

"Uzumaki Naruto. Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi."

Sasuke was next, giving them no time to absorb Naruto's words. "Uchiha Sasuke, S-rank nuke-nin of Konoha."

Hoshigaki was speaking before the last world left the child's mouth. "Hoshigaki Kisame, Kirigakure S-rank nuke-nin. Amekage-sama's personal bodyguard."

Itachi stared at them. "Uchiha Itachi, S-Rank Nuke-nin."

Her heart leapt in her throat. What the hell was going on?

"The five of us, are from eight years in the future. The midst of the fourth shinobi war."

 **TBC…**

* * *

 **A/N: Just a note, I'm note gonna show all their memories. Just the really important ones (the massacre, the actions leading up to it, the war, etc.). Remember, this story mainly focuses on Sasuke and Itachi so while I will explain the others' lives and how their actions affect the war, it won't be as detailed.**

 **Also, it may be a while before my next update. School is starting and I'm officially an aunt today, so I've got a lot going on in RL. Please be patient with me.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: The memories aren't in any particular order, nor are they exactly like they are in the show but yeah…you'll see why.**

 **Chapter Ten**

" _Why are you telling us this?" She asked, and he nodded toward Naruto who looked at them with a calmer gaze than most had ever seen._

" _Uzumaki Naruto. Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi."_

 _Sasuke was next, giving them no time to absorb Naruto's words. "Uchiha Sasuke, S-rank nuke-nin of Konoha."_

 _Hoshigaki was speaking before the last world left the child's mouth. "Hoshigaki Kisame, Kirigakure S-rank nuke-nin. Amekage-sama's personal bodyguard."_

 _Itachi stared at them. "Uchiha Itachi, S-Rank Nuke-nin."_

 _Her heart leapt in her throat. What the hell was going on?_

" _The five of us, are from eight years in the future. The midst of the fourth shinobi war."_

 ***/***

"Impossible." Fugaku protested immediately and Shisui nodded in agreement. Konan, Mikoto, the sandaime said nothing watching the five self-proclaimed time-travelers, while Kakashi just frowned.

Sasuke glared at his father.

"Really?" He drawled. "Then how would you explain the fact that I know about the coup d'état you and the elders are planning against Konoha and the fact you plan to take Kyuubi-sama out of _my_ dobe to do it? Or the fact that you were friends with Yondaime-sama?"

The clan head's scowl darkened, and he seemed to forget that the Sandaime was present because his automatic response was, "Itachi could've told you all that."

He froze, then sent Hiruzen a glance only to find the man staring back unsurprised.

"You knew?"

"Your son and nephew have both been looking into ways to stop it without any bloodshed."

A betrayed look crossed the man's features and he glared at the two aforementioned teens. Itachi stared back impassively but Shisui glared back.

"You would betray us? Your own clan? Your blood? For a village that would rather suppress and subjugate you?"

Shisui went to reply but Nagato held up a hand silencing them. "Perhaps, it would be better for Fugaku-sama to see what his actions will bring not only to his sons but his clan as well. Itachi, Sasuke would you mind?"

"I can't do Tsukuyomi, Pein." Sasuke said nodding in Itachi's direction. The young man sighed.

"I will show you the few days leading up to and the night I became an S-rank nuke-nin. You will not be able to interact with the memories only view them. The first memory was given to me by Shisui, so it is not mine. _**Tsukuyomi.**_ "

The room blurred around them then went dark….

 ***/***

They reappeared in a dark-lit room, the elders of the council seated at a table before them. Shisui was stunned to see himself kneeling in front of the table.

" _ **As it stands the coup is still in motion." His counterpart reported.**_

 _ **The sandaime in the vision bowed his head, seemingly aging more in that moment than he'd ever seem the man do so.**_

" _ **I see..." He rumbled and Danzou leaned forward.**_

" _ **What's your plan now, Hiruzen. If we allow this to go any further, it will be too late."**_

 _ **The Hokage hummed and Danzou continued. "Look, as Hokage you sometimes have to make tough decisions. You know this. This will be one of those tough decisions. Get rid of the problem."**_

Fugaku tensed and Mikoto gasped.

Get rid of the problem.

Did they mean…

" _ **Wait, please! I have another solution."**_

 _ **All the elders looked at the kneeling Uchiha. "I will use my Mangekyō sharingan on the clan."**_

Shisui's eyes widened. Using Kotoamatsukami on the clan?

Why hadn't he thought of that?

 _ **The Sandaime stared at him, warmth and compassion in his sad gaze. "Are you sure? Even knowing that you will be forever considered a traitor of your clan for the sin of turning their technique against them?"**_

 _ **Shisui nodded. "If it means protecting those I care about, I'll do it."**_

" _ **Very well. You retain the right to back out of this plan at any time, Shisui. We still have time to find alternatives."**_

 _ **The teen nodded again. "I won't fail." He vowed.**_

The memory went dark.

"The plan failed." Itachi said softly, drawing everyone's attention to him. "It failed because Danzou didn't trust Shisui to do what was best for the village. They fought and Danzou ripped out one of his eyes, implanting it in the place of the one he lost during the war. The next memory is mine of right after."

They found themselves in a field where Shisui was fighting off a squad of ANBU, blood streaming from his closed right eye.

 _ **A giant green chakra beast covered him, but it was wavering. After a moment it vanished and the ANBU launched a handful of kunai at the exhausted jounin, who started to list sideways then vanished. Just as he left their sight, a stream of fire left the forest striking each of the ANBU. They reappeared in a clearing a few miles away and watched as Itachi appeared with Shisui slung over his shoulders. The smaller teen gently set the older down against a tree, concern marring his every feature.**_

 _ **Shisui looked up at him. "T-thought you were on a mission."**_

 _ **Itachi shook his head. "Something felt off, so I came back. What the hell is going on?"**_

" _ **You swore."**_

 _ **Itachi scowled. "Shisui."**_

" _ **Ne is involved in the coup, 'tachi. Fugaku-sama and the others are being led by their noses and they have no idea. I wanted to use Kotoamatsukami, to stop it but Danzou took my right eye. Didn't trust me to do what was right for the village."**_

 _ **The teen swallowed. "What are we gonna do?"**_

" _ **Help me up. I need to show you something."**_

Dread built in everyone's guts and they glanced at Itachi, hoping for reassurance. The heir paid them no heed, watching the scene impassively.

They watched, silent as Shisui and Itachi reappeared at Naka river and with dread, Sasuke realized what Itachi was showing them.

Shisui's death.

Fuck.

" _ **If the coup goes as planned it will mean Civil War the village and worse, another Great War."**_

Fugaku stiffened at those words while Sasuke looked away ashamed. His brother and Shisui had tried so hard to prevent another war and yet he'd gone and started one the second he knew the truth. A gentle hand on his shoulder drew his eyes to his dobe who sent him a warm smile. His thoughts calmed immediately, and he turned back to the memory.

 _ **Itachi nodded in agreement and for a moment they were silent, then Shisui spoke again.**_

" _ **Of everyone in this clan, otouto, you're the only one I know**_ **gets** _ **it. Everyone else is so blinded by their own prejudice and indignation to see that what they are doing will lead to ruin."**_

 _ **The younger boy looked away. "The elders have finalized their plans. They are going to move against Naruto-kun in one week." He looked back at Shisui.**_

" _ **What are we going to do?"**_

 _ **His older cousin smiled sadly and placed his hands on the teens shoulders.**_

" _ **There is a way for me to give you the power you need, but it's going to hurt. It's going to hurt you so badly, but I need you to stay strong, can you do that for me?"**_

 _ **Itachi swallowed taking a step back in a momentary loss of composure. His pulse raced, and he could hear the blood rushing in his ears.**_

 _ **All the same, knowing that his cousin would accept nothing less, he nodded and watched as Shisui removed his remaining eye. He placed it in his hand and closed the hand around it.**_

" _ **You're the only one I can trust with this, Itachi. Hold on to it, okay. You'll know when you need it."**_

 _ **The older boy took a step back, closer to the edge of the cliff and Itachi took a step forward.**_

" _ **I'm so sorry, 'tachi." He murmured then with a peaceful smile he fell back. Itachi lunged forward missing his hand by mere centimeters.**_

" _ **SHISUI!"**_

The memory went dark, but not before everyone saw the tears of blood that left memory Itachi's eye and the merging of the three tomoe within them.

They turned to Itachi, who was staring at them with a carefully blank expression.

Once he had their attention, he spoke.

"It was decided that I murdered Shisui for my own selfish reasons and I was slowly ostracized by the elders and my peers, despite them finding the suicide Shisui had written in the case of this scenario." His gaze met his father's.

"We started to disagree more often, especially where Sasuke was involved. You wanted to pressure him into getting close to Naruto-Kun or at least invite him for dinner so that the elders could grab him, but Sasuke didn't care much for Naruto-kun and thus it didn't work."

Shisui lunged forward and pulled his best friend into a strong hug, his eyes watering.

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. Future me was wrong to make you watch that. To do that to you."

The younger teen stood stiff in his arms (and was he really younger if he'd lived nearly a decade past him?), then slowly raised a hand to pat him on the back.

"It helped my mission." He said emotionlessly, neither accepting nor rejecting the apology and Shisui was suddenly reminded that so little people had ever apologized to his little cousin, that Itachi was genuinely stumped on how to react.

He pulled away, watching with slight envy as his friend moved closer to Hoshigaki.

"Is that how you became an S-rank nuke-nin?" His mother asked, and he shook his head.

"No."

"Aniki-" Sasuke stopped then tried again, only to shut his mouth with a frustrated growl.

Itachi's face softened. "Do you need to leave the room? I have tortured you enough with these visions to know that they hurt you."

Sasuke glared at him. "Only if you leave too. It hurt you more than it hurt me."

His brother chuckled, self-depreciation filling every tone, but he didn't respond.

Instead he turned to Naruto.

"Would you like to leave the room, Naruto-kun?" He asked knowing that the young kitsune wouldn't handle the next memory well.

The blonde hesitated then shook his head grabbing Sasuke's hand firmly and he smiled.

"I-Itachi?" His mother asked worriedly.

"The night I became a nuke-nin." He murmured as a new memory come into view around them. They were in Itachi's bedroom in Uchiha manor, watching as he stared down at a mission scroll with the most devastated expression on his face. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and his hair, unbound, seemed to be trying to shield him from the harsh reality of the world around him.

"What mission could hurt you so deeply?" Fugaku asked, and he got his answer when the scroll fell from memory Itachi's lap onto the floor.

 **It read:**

 **Operation: Phoenix**

 **Rank: SS**

 **Target: Uchiha Clansmen, Barring one Uchiha Sasuke***

 **Objective: Eradicate target. Complete a stint of eight years undercover in the organization, Akatsuki.**

 **Warning: Operative in question will be burned as a nuke-nin to prevent further investigation.**

 **Operative: Uchiha Itachi, codename: Weasel**

 ***Uchiha Sasuke spared as allowance of Operative**

 **Signed,**

 **Shimura Danzō, Utatane Kohaku, Mitokado Homura**

 **Elder Council of Konohagakure**

The Clan head faltered back a step, looking at his son then at the memory.

Shisui gasped. "No…" He breathed, shaking his head.

What had his future self doomed their baby cousin to?

 _ **Itachi stood and grabbed the scroll, burning it with a small fire jutsu, before wiping away the evidence of his despair.**_

 _ **Tightening his armor, both ANBU and emotional, he took a deep breath and shushined away, reappearing in one of the old Uchiha shrines.**_

" _ **Madara," He called and the man with the orange mask appeared out of a swirl of air.**_

" _ **If I do this, you never touch Sasuke."**_

" _ **Agreed. Tonight?"**_

" _ **Tonight."**_

 _ **Sharing a nod, he watched the man disappear and sighed, glancing at the shrine then sneering and walking away.**_

 **The memory darkened then reappeared later.**

Everyone watched in stunned horror as Itachi and the masked man went from house to house slaughtering every Uchiha man, woman, and child.

They watched as Itachi gently laid each body on the ground, contrast to his companions brutal, ruthless slaughter.

Watched the tears well in his crimson eyes as he forced his sharingan to remember the name and face of each of his kills.

 _ **The two met in front of the main house, and Itachi stopped the masked man from entering.**_

" _ **I can do it."**_

 _ **Obito hesitated, the first concern he'd shown in all the memories.**_

" _ **Child, I-"**_

" _ **No!" Itachi protested vehemently. "I need to do this. Go, I will meet you after I deal with Sasuke."**_

 _ **Nodding, the older Uchiha stepped back and warped away, leaving Itachi to steel his nerves and enter the house.**_

 _ **His parents sat faced away from him in a perfect seiza, and he knew their faces were impassive.**_

" _ **So, you've decided."**_

 _ **His composure began to slip, his hands trembling.**_

Kisame gathered his mate in his arms, knowing that this memory was one of his lover's most painful.

Itachi stared at the movie blankly, knowing that no one other than Sasuke and Kisame noticed the tears welling in his eyes.

Fugaku swallowed, physically sickened that this was what his actions had led his eldest son to. His family to.

" _ **Tou-san, Kaa-san, I-"**_

" _ **I know, Itachi." His mother said calmly but she didn't turn to face him.**_

" _ **I'm sorry it had to be you." Somehow, he knew she smiling that same gentle smile she always gave him when she saw him holding Sasuke. "I forgive you."**_

 _ **He swallowed thickly, feeling a scream (or was it a sob?) building in his throat.**_

 _ **His father spoke next and he could still his hands, the rattle of his blade echoing in his ears.**_

" _ **Itachi just promise me this. Take care of Sasuke." The katana in his hands continued to rattle, his shoulders heaving as he tried to keep his sobs silent.**_

 _ **It hurt. It hurt so much.**_

 _ **Why?**_

 _ **Why did it have to be them?**_

" _ **I will." He whispered, and his father smiled just slightly.**_

" _ **Do not fear, for your pain will be greater than ours. Just know that despite all our differences, I am proud of you. You truly are a kind child"**_

 _ **Steeling his heart, he raised the blade then swung it downwards in a graceful arc, valiantly ignoring the spray of blood that coated his already blood-stained form.**_

The memory went black and none of them could bring themselves to speak, barely breathing as a new memory began.

 _ **Itachi running as Sasuke raced after him, tears streaming down his cheeks.**_

" _ **I'll kill you!" The child yelled and Itachi turned.**_

" _ **Foolish little brother," He murmured, his voice cold.**_

 _ **Cruel.**_

" _ **You are too pathetic to kill. Too weak. So run, run and cling to you pitful life. Hate me, detest me,**_ **curse me** _ **," He purred, his voice so sinister their audience got chilled.**_

" _ **And one day, when you have the same eyes as mine, come before me. And kill me."**_

 _ **Dropping the child as if he were nothing he turned to go, a single tear escaping his façade.**_

" _ **W-Why?" Sasuke whimpered.**_

" _ **To test my own ambition.**_ **Tsukuyomi.** _ **"**_

 _ **The child screamed and fell unconscious, never seeing his elder brother falter a step then continue to walk away.**_

They reappeared in the Hokage's office.

" _ **It is done, Hokage-sama."**_

 _ **Itachi reported, kneeling. His voice was hollow, as if all the life had been taken from him.**_

 _ **The Sandaime sighed, while Jiraya looked away pained.**_

 _ **They'd done as much as they could to salvage the mission the council had given Itachi, barely managing to get the allowance that Sasuke live.**_

 _ **Still, they knew this was hurting thr child before them more than he would ever admit.**_

" _ **Remove your mask, Itachi-kun."**_

 _ **The teen did as he was bid, knowing his elder companions would see his deadened gaze.**_

 _ **Both men flinched back from those eyes.**_

 _ **The eyes of someone who'd lost everything.**_

" _ **I placed, Sasuke under the Tsukuyomi. He will be out for 72 hours, but traumatized afterwards. Take care of him? Please, Hokage-sama?"**_

" _ **You have my word. Sasuke-kun will be a ward of the village until he is a shinobi. Afterwards, I'm afraid there is little I can do."**_

 _ **He gestured for Jiraya to step forward.**_

" _ **Jiraya will be your handler for the duration of your mission. Understand, you can back out and return at any time. If you do the truth of the massacre will be revealed and your name will be cleared."**_

 _ **Itachi nodded, but they all knew he wouldn't back out.**_

 _ **Sarutobi sighed feeling his age now more than ever.**_

" _ **You are to report back once a month. Jiraya will collect them via your summons and his own. Dismissed."**_

 _ **The teen stood to leave.**_

" _ **And Itachi?"**_

 _ **He glanced back at his Kage who gave him a warm smile.**_

" _ **Be careful."**_

The memory faded to black.

 **TBC…**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** **A bit of Fugaku redemption; Sasuke's team placements; The meeting in Tanzaku Gai**

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven**

 _ **Sarutobi sighed feeling his age now more than ever.**_

" _ **You are to report back once a month. Jiraiya will collect them via your summons and his own. Dismissed."**_

 _ **The teen stood to leave.**_

" _ **And Itachi?"**_

 _ **He glanced back at his Kage who gave him a warm smile.**_

" _ **Be careful."**_

 _The memory faded to black._

 ***.***

A quiet sob sounded breaking the silence that had fallen over the room and everyone turned to find Sasuke being held by Naruto, the jinchūriki's blue eyes wet as he soothed the older boy. Behind them, Itachi stood statue still, his sharingan eyes just as dead as the boy on the screen.

Fugaku swallowed and stepped forward, pulling his eldest son into a hug. For once, his famed composure was gone, and he wasn't Uchiha Fugaku, the clan head. He was Uchiha Fugaku, father, someone he hadn't been since shortly after Itachi's birth. The war had stripped that from him…and it took watching his son's memory to notice.

Itachi stiffened in his arms, and made no move to hug him back, and he felt his heart break just the slightest bit more. Had he really failed his eldest so much that the boy expected no affection from him? From his wife?

How had they let it come this far?

"I'm sorry, Itachi. I'm so sorry." He murmured and his son stepped back, out of his arms and closer to Hoshigaki.

"We should watch the next memory." He monotoned and Sarutobi frowned worriedly.

"Wouldn't you like to rest first, Itachi-kun?"

Mikoto nodded in agreement, looking up from where she'd been helping Naruto comfort Sasuke.

"I'm fine, Hokage-sama." The teen replied. "The next couple of memories are relatively harmless." His lips twitched into a pale imitation of a smile.

"Its when Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun are placed on their team."

Sasuke groaned while Naruto blushed, both of them thinking of their accidental kiss the day of team placements.

Mikoto smiled. "You were on the same teams?" She asked eagerly, her levity hiding the concern in her gaze for her eldest. "I was on the same team as your mother, Naru-chan."

The kitsune blinked then flushed, especially when Sasuke smirked at his assigned nickname.

"Really? What was she like?" He asked shyly and the Uchiha Matriarch smiled.

"Loud and very proud of the fact."

Naruto's entire face lit up.

Before he could ask anymore the room went dark and they reappeared in the academy classroom.

 _ **His older (**_ _younger?_ _ **) self walked in wearing a bright (**_ _fake, so fake_ _ **) grin,**_ _ **hitai-ate**_ _ **gleaming proudly in the false light of the room and the glares of his classmates bearing down on him.**_

 _ **Those that weren't glaring, were watching in obvious disinterest or staring at Sasuke longingly (**_ _fangirls and fanboys_ _ **). He scowled.**_

" _ **Hey baka, this room is for graduates only." Hurt flashed across his features for the barest of moments. Shikamaru had never been particularly close to him, but he liked to think that the older boy at least thought of him as a friend.**_

 _ **Guess not.**_

Sasuke frowned at Shikamaru, having caught the brief flicker of hurt on his kitsune's face.

To add or not add Shikamaru to his _list_.

Decisions.

" _ **See this," He sneered shoving the bothersome emotion away as he pointed at the hitai-ate adorning his head. "**_ _this_ _ **means I graduated, dattebayo!"**_

Mikoto squealed, while Fugaku groaned.

Mini Minato had inherited Kushina's verbal tick _and_ her temper. The latter couldn't help but thank Kami that he hadn't inherited her talent with the sword.

Konoha wouldn't have survived.

" _ **Whatever," Shikamaru grunted, laying his head back on the table, Naruto's scowl darkened, especially when they landed on Sasuke's indifferent features.**_

" _ **What's so special about him anyways," He muttered to himself, jumping up until he was face to face to the rookie of the year.**_

 _ **The two teens glared at each other, neither willing to submit in the impromptu staring match. So focused on each other, neither noticed the student behind Naruto yawn and stretch until the blond kitsune fell forward.**_

 _ **The resultant kiss made both teens eyes widen, their cheeks flushing.**_

Mikoto squealed.

"Oh, just like Mina and Gaku! Look Gaku!" Her husband blushed, coughing into a closed fist when all eyes turned his way.

Hiruzen snickered, remembering that particular incident and the way both boys had reacted. Minato had blushed a furious scarlet everytime the incident was mentioned, even up until his death. Fugaku had even admitted even just once to his Kage that he'd had a slight crush on the younger man for a short period of time afterward.

Kushina and Mikoto had loved every second of it and teased their husbands about it whenever they could.

It was a memory that he cherished.

Around them, the memory wavered briefly then returned bolder than before.

Unnoticed by all but one, a silent gasp left Itachi's lips, a thin trail of blood escaping them before he wiped it away.

" _ **Bastard, you stole my first kiss!" Naruto snapped and Sasuke glared at him, blushing furiously.**_

" _ **Baka, you kissed me!"**_

" _ **Na-Ru-To!" Snarled a chorus of voices. "You stole Sasuke-kun's first kiss."**_

 _ **Naruto screamed and with nary a sound he was attacked by a hoard of fangirls.**_

 _ **Sasuke flinched slightly but turned away.**_

Itachi smiled at the tiny show of emotion and Mikoto chuckled at her son, even as she gave Naruto a warm smile.

Just like his parents, her godson was another that could break the ice around an Uchiha's heart. She glanced at Itachi, noting the ever dwindling space between him and Hoshigaki.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one.

The classroom door opened and in stepped a chunin she would've recognized anywhere.

Umino Iruka.

The chunin was several years older and seemed more mature than she'd ever seen him.

" _ **SIT DOWN!"**_

Or not.

 _ **The class went silent and obeyed with little argument. After a short speech he began to announce the teams.**_

" _ **...Team Seven will consist of Uchiha Sasuke," The raven glanced at him.**_

" _ **...Haruno Sakura," A pink haired girl let out a happy shriek, shooting a smug look at the blonde girl sitting a row across from her.**_

" _ **Ha! True love always prevails!"**_

 _ **Iruka's brow twitched but he continued. "And Uzumaki sensei will be Hatake Kakashi."**_

 _ **The blonde kitsune froze, then groaned banging his head on the desk.**_

" _ **I can't believe this! Why do I have to be on a team with**_ **him** _ **?!"**_

Sasuke smirked, wrapping his arms around the younger male's waist.

"What's wrong with being on _my_ team, dobe?"

The other blushed, hearing the leer in his voice. "Sh-shut up."

Mikoto bit back a giggle, while Shisui scrunched up his nose.

Kakashi on the other hand gasped, paying extra hard attention to the memories.

 _ **The rest of the teams passed with less fanfare, and soon the sensei arrived for their teams. All but Team Seven's.**_

 _ **Slowly the teens grew anxious and the memory went dark.**_

 _ **When it reappeared, the teens were on the academy rooftop, sitting before a tall white haired man, a familiar orange book hiding most of his face.**_

" _ **Tell me about yourselves. Name, likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams, that sort of thing."**_

 _ **Sakura, the pink haired girl from before, bit her lip hesitantly. "Maybe...you could go first?"**_

 _ **He closed the book and eyesmiled.**_

"Th-That's me?" Kakashi gasped, stunned and Itachi nodded smiling slightly.

"Hai, S-rank shinobi in the bingo book. Sharingan no Kakashi, copied over 1,000 jutsu and invented a few more."

Everyone gaped at the man for a moment while Sarutobi smiled proudly.

" _ **Very well. My name is Hatake Kakashi. My likes are simple. My dislikes...well..My hobbies are not for your young ears and my dreams...well who knows. Pinkie, next."**_

 _ **She glared at him and Sasuke rolled his eyes.**_

" _ **My name is Haruno Sakura. I like…"- She glanced at Sasuke and Blushed. "I like gardening, and…" Her face darkened more and she looked over at sasuke once more. "And my dream is- KYAHH!" SHe squealed, blood streaming from her nose.**_

 _ **Kakashi frowned.**_

" _ **And your dislikes?"**_

" _ **INO-PIG and NARUTO-BAKA!"**_

 _ **The jounin blinked and turned to Sasuke.**_

" _ **Emo-chan, you next."**_

"I don't like that girl." Mikoto stated, scowling and Sasuke snorted.

"I knew you wouldn't. Nii-san, can we move forward?"

Itachi nodded and the memory changed to a baren hallway. Two men stood in front of a motel room door, straw hats and a red and black cloak obscuring them from view.

"Is that...you?" Fugaku asked and the teen nodded.

"Hai, this is nearly a month after Orochimaru killed Hokage-sama."

"WHAT?!"

The time-travelers nodded while the Sandaime lowered his head in grief.

"When?"

"During the Chunin Exams directly after Naruto and Sasuke's graduation. All the clan heirs were nominated."

 _ **A dainty hand came up and knocked on the door, purple nails gleaming in the false light of the hallway.**_

 _ **On the other side they could hear a young voice grumbling.**_

" _ **Damnit, pervy sage forgot his key aga-"**_

 _ **Naruto cut himself off as he opened the door and found himself face to face with two men he'd never met, one of whom looked alot like his male team mate.**_

" _ **Naruto-kun," rumbled a deep voice. "You will be coming with us."**_

Mikoto's eyes widened at how low her son's voice had gotten and at the monotone he'd spoken in.

" _ **Heh," Snickered another voice, coming from the taller man. "he's the kyuubi jinchūriki? He's just a shrimp! Maybe I should cut his legs off so he can't run."**_

Kisame smirked and Naruto rolled his eyes.

"As if you could, sashimi-chan."

"Wanna bet, fox?"

"Kisame." Itachi interrupted and the man glanced at him, pouting at the stern look in his lover's eyes.

"Fine."

The blond snorted and made the sound of a whip cracking.

The shark-like man bared his teeth in response but they noticed that he didn't speak.

 _ **The blonde froze at his words, fear flashing over his features before determination hardened them.**_

" _ **I don't care who you are! I'm not leaving with you."**_

 _ **Itachi hummed.**_

" _ **Very well. Kisame."**_

 _ **The elder grinned viciously, one hand going to the sword on his back. Before he could attack, however, a shout sounded from the end of the hallway, a roar of hatred and pain.**_

" _ **ITACHI!"**_

Mikoto gasped as she took in the angry visage of her youngest son in the memory. Sharingan blazing and lips curled into a dangerous snarl, there was no mistaking the hatred she saw in his gaze.

Beside her, said son froze and shuddered, hand tightening it's grasp on the small tanned one in his grip.

 _ **The smaller cloaked man glanced at him impassively, while his partner raised an eyebrow.**_

" _ **Seems like you missed one, 'Tachi."**_

 _ **The other hummed and turned. "So it seems."**_

 _ **The two sharingan clashed.**_

" _ **Hello, otouto."**_

 _ **Sasuke's glare darkened. "I've been waiting five years for this. Tonight, I'll finally kill you, aniki."**_

 _ **Both Naruto and Kisame's eyes widened. "Brothers?"**_

" _ **Kisame, get the jinchuriki. Leave me to deal with my foolish otouto."**_

 _ **Nodding, the man turned to his assigned opponent and pulled his sword from his back with a grin.**_

" _ **Looks like it's you and me, Kid."**_

 _ **Naruto crouched and pulled out his kunai.**_

 _ **What followed was, in one word, devastating.**_

 _ **The two older shinobi decimated the genin ruthlessly and it ended with Itachi holding his little brother by his throat sharingan spinning.**_

Their parents tensed watching their children and Mikoto grabbed her husband's hand, hoping beyond hope that her eldest wasn't about to kill their youngest.

The Clan head held her hand just as tightly, while Shisui tensed.

" _ **Pathetic." Itachi growled and Sasuke flinched even as he glared at the man.**_

" _ **Your hatred is too weak, otouto, for you to think of defeating me.**_ **Tsukuyomi** _ **."**_

 _ **Sasuke's eyes went blank for a moment, then he screamed.**_

A sob left Mikoto's throat and she reached out with swift hands to pull her youngest to her chest.

"No," She whispered, remembering the agony that jutsu had caused in early memories. How could Itachi do something so cruel?

And to his own brother?!

Did she even know her own son anymore?

 _ **The walls around them began to change, turning pink and squishy and Jiraiya appeared and unconscious woman in his arms. The two nuke-nin fled and the memory went dark as they used obscure black flames to escape.**_

"You have the Amaterasu flames?" Fugaku asked, still visibly shaken by what they'd just seen. His eldest son nodded wearily and they began to notice the pure exhaustion on his face.

Cold sweat dotted his pale skin, sharingan eyes feverish as they gazed out at them.

Kisame wrapped an arm around the raven's waist, causing all the other Uchiha (and Kakashi) to glare at him.

"Enough for now. Itachi needs to rest and I'm sure we can all do with some lunch, before the next memory."

Sasuke frowned.

"What _is_ the next memory?"

Kisame glared at him.

"Your defection from Konoha."

The boy's frown deepened. "He was watching, even then?"

The land shark snorted at him, swinging the tired raven beside him into his arms. Itachi didn't protest, another show of just how drained he was, and the elder Akatsuki members grew more concerned.

"Of course. He was trying to keep you safe."

No one even had to strain to hear the underlying bitterness in those words.

 **TBC…**

* * *

 **A/N: Alrighty then folks. We have probably two or three more memory chapters before things start getting a bit heavier. Also, we'll get a brief look into Obito's reaction to his encounter with the time-travelers next chapter...**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

" _What is the next memory?"_

 _Kisame glared at him._

" _Your defection from Konoha."_

 _The boy's frown deepened. "He was watching, even then?"_

 _The land shark snorted at him, swinging the tired raven beside him into his arms. Itachi didn't protest, another show of just how drained he was, and the elder Akatsuki members grew more concerned._

" _Of course. He was trying to keep you safe."_

 _No one even had to strain to hear the underlying bitterness in those words._

 ***/***

Anger.

If one were to ask Mikoto how she was feeling at the moment, she would tell them that she was furious. Her sons were suffering, _had_ suffered and, from what she were seeing in her eldest's demeanor, _still_ suffering.

Since birth, her eldest had been in the spotlight, his every action keenly observed and dictated by the Clan's elders. She'd grown to resent him for his genius, almost as much as she'd sympathized for him, because as far as she'd known he was _too_ _perfect_.

He didn't try to be…but he was.

The elders, and her husband, had turned him into a weapon, and it had hurt to watch…so she'd focused her attention on Sasuke (and Naruto). She loved her oldest son, just as much as she loved her youngest…but he didn't need her.

Or so she'd thought.

However, as they settled in for lunch and she saw the way he curled into Hoshigaki's arms, she realized that he did.

He had needed her then and he needed her now. For so long he'd been holding all of these burdens on his own shoulders, burdens that weren't only his own to carry, with no one to carry it with him. It had aged him beyond his years.

Her gaze slid to the child sitting beside her, watching the way those eyes focused on the trembling form of his aniki.

She was angry about how Itachi had beaten her youngest so brutally, the scream that had left him the memory still sending chills down her spine as she thought about it.

It was horrifying to know that her sons would one day be at each other's throats in a way that had likely left one of them dead and she had a feeling that she knew who it was.

Sasuke was nowhere near the level his brother was at and it showed, and Itachi had demonstrated that he knew no mercy when it came to his mission.

She hated it.

Cold amber eyes met her gaze.

"Stop judging him."

The woman started at the shark-like kiri-nin's words, drawing the attention of everyone else at the table.

Sasuke frowned. "Hoshigaki?"

The man ignored him to glare at her. "Stop judging him for what your complacence led to."

She returned his glare with her own. "I beg your pardon?"

"You are judging Itachi for the choices he's had to make, for the things you saw in his memories when its your complacent behavior that led him there. You _watched_ your husband turn your eldest into a _weapon_ , a tool to be used and you did nothing because it kept his attentions from your youngest. You failed to realize that you have _two_ children and the one you alienated needed you just as much as the other one did, perhaps even more so."

The matriarch flinched back as if she'd been struck while Sasuke, Shisui, and Fugaku glared at Kisame for his blunt and angry words. A soft cough sounded.

"That's enough, Kisame." Itachi rasped softly, curling further in the older man's grasp. "Leave Kaa-sama alone, she hasn't done anything wrong."

The blue man scowled and Mikoto flinched as he sneered at her son's words. "Nothing wrong? Itachi, she-"

"Enough!" The elder son of the Uchiha snapped, sitting up to glare at his husband. His gaze softened when he saw the protective fury in the man's gaze. "Please, _anata_." He pled, cupping his cheek.

Anata?

That man was married to her son?

She suddenly had a feeling that there was so much more going on than what she was seeing.

Hoshigaki sighed, leaning into his touch. "Alright. I just- I hate what they've done to you. What you _allow_ them to continue doing. You are not a tool, Itachi-san. You're as human as they are, and you are their child as well. They seem to have forgotten that fact."

Itachi said nothing, and the Uchiha matriarch felt something in her cringe at the pain that flashed in her eldest son's dark eyes. Had she and her husband neglected him so much, that he truly believe that of them.

She knew that she tended to favor Sasuke over Itachi, had never made any secret of it, but it had never crossed her mind that he believe that she didn't care for him. For so long, he must have felt like an outsider looking in, especially with the plans of their clan's coup d'état hanging over his head.

Worse, she couldn't help but wonder when she'd allowed things to get so bad between them.

" 'Tachi, that's not true. It's not!" Shisui protested, knowing how much Hoshigaki's words had hurt his best friend. Hearing the other address the man as his husband was infuriating, especially with the special hatred the man seemed to have for both them and their village.

Itachi looked away from them all, and made to leave the table, but the shark stopped him with an arm around his waist.

"You need to eat, Itachi-san. Don't think I didn't notice you haven't been eating or sleeping as well in Konoha. _And_ you didn't eat yesterday."

"I'm not hungry."

"I know," Hoshigaki responded, his voice unbearable sad, had he been anyone else Shisui would've felt bad for him. "I know you aren't, but you need to eat _something._ At least grab something small."

The couple shared a look, seemingly the only two people in the room, then Itachi nodded and picked up a pair of chopsticks and stealing a piece of meat from the elder male's plate. The shark allowed it with a fond smile, arm tightening around that svelte waist.

Sasuke snorted from his position beside him, he and Naruto mirroring the shark and his brother's position. "Ever since learning about you two, I always knew you'd be one of those disgustingly cute couples." He grumbled and Shisui scowled, as did Fugaku.

"They're not a couple." The elder Uchiha protested. "Itachi is too young."

"Technically he's twenty-two." Kisame pointed out and the Uchiha patriarch glared, mangekyō whirling dangerously.

"Whether he's thirteen or thirty, he is still _my son_ and many years your junior, Hoshigaki." He snarled and Itachi tilted his head at the foreign warmth that welled up in his heart at the words. It was a feeling he hadn't associated with his father since he was four years old. Not since that day on the battlefield when he'd killed his first man and started to resent him.

It was…nice.

"Perhaps," Pein interrupted, knowing very well that nothing would break up Kisame and Itachi. He'd tried when the two had first gotten together, nearly killing Kisame because he thought him to be taking advantage of their youngest nuke-nin. Itachi had returned the beating ten-fold, giving him the first indications that it would be wise to fear the young man.

"Perhaps, it would be best to continue. Itachi-kun are you well enough to continue _without injuring yourself_?"

The teen nodded, no hesitation and the elder Uzumaki sighed. "Very well. You may proceed."

Black turned to crimson, a shuriken spinning around the pupil and the room went dark. They reappeared in a valley, the statues of the shodaime and Madara looming over them and a battered Sasuke and Naruto glaring at each other.

The aforementioned teens flinched viciously, their grip on each other tightening as they realized what they were seeing.

 _ **Their appearances raised a few eyebrows however. Naruto was in full chakra cloak, the scarlet of Kyuubi's chakra vivid against the blue of the waterfalls, the darker red eyes glaring darkly into Sasuke's strange black and gold gaze.**_

 _ **The young Uchiha with his darkened skin and wild mane of violet black hair, black lips pulled back in a snarl, and giant black marking in the middle of his face.**_

 _ **Both children looked demonic.**_

 _ **And neither was backing down.**_

 _ **They clashed with every attack, and had they not seen how close the boys were, they would've thought they were trying to kill each other.**_

 _ **That suspicion worsened when both began to gather chakra in the hands.**_

Fugaku, Kakashi, and the Sandaime's eyes widened as they saw the two attacks materializing, the sound of chirping birds filling the air.

"Are those-"

" _ **CHIDORI!"**_

" _ **Rasengan!"**_

 _ **The two attacks clashed viciously, blinding the audience for a second.**_

 _ **When things cleared, it was raining and Sasuke was kneeling over Naruto's still form with tears in his eyes, both pf their demonic natures gone. There was nothing to indicate that the rasengan had stuck the Uchiha, other than the deep scratch on his hiate. But Naruto…**_

 _ **There where the blonde's heart was, was a messy hole of shredded bone and muscle, blood staining his orange jacket.**_

Mikoto gasped, horrified, while Kakashi paled at the implications of the memory. Fugaku felt his heart ache at seeing that his son had injured the son of his best friend.

Gods, if this was what his ambitions would lead to- he couldn't bring himself to finish the thought.

 _ **A tear slid down Sasuke's cheek and he kissed the blonde's lips chastely. "I'm so sorry, Naruto." He whispered. "I can't afford what you are offering me. I have to avenge my family, and I know that if you were to tell me to, I'd stay. I can't-" He cut himself off with a sob, pressing another kiss to the younger teen's brow.**_

" _ **I'm sorry." He repeated, before standing walking away.**_

 _ **The memory faded to black.**_

Naruto smiled wetly at his teme, even as he remembered the phantom pains of the chidori going through his chest. Sasuke smiled back painfully. "I'm sorry." He mouthed and his kitsune rolled his eyes.

'I love you.' He responded and the Uchiha heir blushed.

"Hn." _'I love you too.'_

Behind them Itachi smiled.

The next memory was Naruto's return to the leaf village. Then their rescue of the Kazekage from Sasori and Deidara. Another of Sasuke training in Orochimaru's hideout, then of Sai joining team Seven. Next came the formation of Team Taka, and Orochimaru's death.

And Itachi's fight with Naruto.

Finally it settled on a memory only two of them recognized.

 _ **It was raining.**_

 _ **Itachi sat atop a larger boulder, his face tilted up towards the sky, allowing the water to slide down his cheeks like tears.**_

 _ **Behind him, Kisame was scowling. "Come inside before you ruin your health, Itachi-san."**_

 _ **His lover smiled wanly. "I'm fine."**_

 _ **The scowl deepened then gave away to worry. "From here, it looks like you're crying. I can't imagine what could bring tears to your eyes now." Then he winced as if remembering something.**_

" _ **Ah. I'm sorry to hear about Sasuke, 'tachi."**_

Fugaku's eyes widened, his heart lodging itself in his throat.

 _ **The raven hummed. "Don't be. He isn't dead. Also,"**_

 _ **Kisame frowned. "What do you mean?"**_

 _ **A warm smile crossed his lover's lips. "Come, the rain has stopped."**_

 _ **The shark's frown darkened as the raven turned but he followed faithfully as the memory went black.**_

For a moment no one spoke, then Hiruzen sighed heavily. "How many memories are left, Itachi-kun?"

The young ANBU frowned doing a quick calculation. "Six, I believe, Hokage-sama. I am only showing the ones most relevant to the war, after all. Pein-sama has a few to show as well. So perhaps eight."

The kage nodded. "Then it shall be shown tomorrow. Right now, we have been given much to think about so far. And there are conversations to be had before we continue. Fugaku-kun, Mikoto-chan, and Itachi-kun, I would like to speak with the three of you first."

The Uchiha nodded, the latter deactivating his Sharingan. He shared a glance with Pein and Kisame and wondered just how much longer they'd be doing this.

And just what was going to happen next.

*/*

How was this happening?

For decades he had been working in the shadows to destroy Konoha, or more specifically Hatake Kakashi, his identity unknown to everyone, even Pein. His sharingan had been undefeatable, managing to fool even the "godly" rinnegan.

So how was this happening?

How was it that his former sensei's son had known his identity?

How had Itachi come to loathe him in a way he'd never imagined possible for the young ANBU captain in the years he'd watched him?

Why was Pein moving against him?

So many questions, not enough answers.

A single sharingan narrowed, their owner remembering the horrific images and memories he'd been tortured with inside the Tsukuyomi.

Most importantly, how had Itachi's sharingan matured in the haunting _eternal mangekyō_ if his best friend and clansmen were still standing?

His lips pursed, and he steeled his resolve.

Seems it was time to return to the Akatsuki base and snoop a bit. They would regret crossing him.

Each and every one of them.

 **TBC…**


End file.
